Virgo
by Quicksilver
Summary: What if you took one event, and changed the outcome? What if, from there, the effects spred, like a ripple in a pond? As Saffir escapes from the Wiseman with the Key to the Black Crystal, he is met, not by the sisters Ayakashi, but by the Senshi of Water,
1. The Legend of the Virgo

Quicksilver's Quill Offers:  
Virgo  
quicksilver@tuxedomask.com  
standard disclaimers  
Do not post this anywhere without permission from the author.  
NOTE: Diverges during "Brotherly Love" -aka- "Saffir dies! The Wiseman's trap"   
May 7, 2001: I'm slowly revising and reloading this onto fanfic.net! ^_^  
  
Part One: The Legend of the Virgo  
-or-  
Judge Not Less Ye Be Judged  
  
~THE LEGEND BEHIND THE VIRGO SIGN~  
"Pandora opened her box, and out sprang terrible plagues to haunt mankind forever after: sickness   
and death for the body; anger, envy, and revenge for the mind. At the bottom of the box lay the   
one thing that had not escaped, hope.  
"During the terrible times that followed, the gods deserted earth one by one and went to live in   
heaven. The very last to leave was Astraea, goddess of innocence and purity. After leaving the   
earth, Astraea was placed among the stars and became the constellation of Virgo. The legend  
is that one day the Golden Age will come again, and Astraea (Virgo) will return to earth."  
***  
  
Mizuno Ami walked through the streets of Tokyo, in the Ward of Juuban, lost in her thoughts. This wasn't all that unusual an occurrence, but her thoughts were grimmer then any fifteen-year-old's should have been.  
  
The Black Moon Family was out to destroy the world, and there was little she could do about it, even with her much vaunted powers as Sailor Mercury. She believed -had to believe- that somehow, against all the odds, her friends would manage to defeat this evil that was threatening their world.   
  
The problem with being the most intelligent Senshi was that her mind was never at rest. She could calculate the odds with an ease that was frightening. With each battle the Senshi fought, she nudged her mental calculations a little more in the Black Moon's favor. One day the Senshi WOULDN'T win a battle decisively, and one of them would die. Not Sailor Moon- probably herself or Makoto. Makoto was always the first into the fray, and her recklessness could get her killed. Ami had no illusions about her fighting ability- she was the weakest of the Senshi. Still, the idea was an alarming one. She wasn't even a legal adult, yet she courted death daily.  
  
Biting her lip till it bled, she stopped in her tracks, clenching her fist. She would be damned if she was going to let the Black Moon walk all over her. She shut her eyes, remembering the looks of ecstasy on the Ayakashi sisters' faces as the energy from the Black Moon Nemesis was cleansed from their bodies. Perhaps we've been going about this the wrong way, she thought. Rather then trying to fight them, we should be trying to heal them. She touched her chin thoughtfully, trying to think of what she could do to make the Black Moon want to accept Sailor Moon's healing. They had refused in the past, but surely they could see the destruction of Crystal Tokyo was counterproductive? They wanted a beautiful home world, yet they were slowly destroying their chance at it.  
  
The gears of her mind began clicking on the new viewpoint. Try to see the Black Moon as victims, not the perpetrators, she thought.  
  
Then she thought of Chibi-Usa, and her gentle heart began to harden. By doing THAT to an innocent child, making her believe she was unloved and unwanted, and turning her into the twisted Black Lady, the Black Moon Family had forfeited all right to mercy. How could anyone be that cruel? she wondered.  
  
She suddenly realized that she was standing in the middle of the sidewalk doing nothing aside from stare into space. The shadows were beginning to grow longer, and she recognized it was well past time for her to be getting home. She was just about to go home to her empty house when she heard a slight groan come from the alley nearest to her.  
  
She withdrew her henshin stick. If she was a normal teenager, she wouldn't have been stupid enough to walk into a dark alleyway. But she wasn't, so she could. There could be someone in trouble, and thanks to her Senshi powers, she was able to follow her conscience and help.  
  
Her footsteps sounded too loud to her ears. She heard the sound of someone breathing heavily, in obvious pain. Her eyes grew accustomed to the dimmer lighting, and she gasped in sympathy as she saw a man curled up in a fetal position.  
  
"Are you O.K.?" Ami asked unnecessarily. The man started, groaning as he shifted his ribs. He looked up at her with beautiful blue eyes. He was very handsome, but that wasn't what got her attention- it was the inverted Black Moon on his forehead.  
  
***  
MAGICAL BIRTHSTONE: Sapphire. Sapphires bring tranquillity of mind and protect against illness and injury while traveling.  
***  
  
He opened his eyes to be met by the sight of an angel. His eyelids fluttered a few times, trying to ensure that he wasn't hallucinating; but no, she was still there, a petite woman with blue hair and eyes to match his own. She was looking down at him with concern in her gentle eyes and he felt a wave of regret wash through him. He could have been like her, not warped and twisted. He tried to imagine one of the Family caring about an injured person and came up blank.   
  
"Are you O.K.?" she asked. Her voice was soft and there was a lilt in it he would have found entrancing if the circumstances were different. If HE had been different.  
  
He twisted his head to look at her and she gasped lightly, her reaction setting off an internal alarm in him. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized that it must have been the Mark of the Black Moon to cause that reaction- but how could she recognize it?  
  
Her delicate hand reached out to touch his arm. "You're injured. Let me help you," she said.   
  
"And why would you want to do that?" he shot back angrily. He was angry at everything, yet terrified at the same time. His brother was in grave danger, and there was little he could do to help. It only his brother would LISTEN to him...   
  
He pushed himself up into a sitting position, ignoring the pain that flashed through his body. "I have to go," he said, biting back a groan.   
  
"I'm afraid you're not going anywhere," she replied rather grimly.  
  
His eyes flashed. "Is that a threat?" he hissed.  
  
She jerked back slightly in surprise. "No," she replied as though the thought of threatening him had never occurred to her. "You're just in no shape to go anywhere on your own."  
  
"I have to," he whispered. "I have something I must do."  
  
"You need medical help before anything else," she replied rather matter-of-factly. "Since I doubt I can admit you to a hospital, you'll just have to come with me."  
  
"Where to?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
He could see the hesitation in her face before she replied. "My house," she said finally.  
  
He nodded, not pleased, but unable to see any other option. She wrapped one of her slender arms around his waist and helped hoist him to his feet. He could feel the surprising strength in her lithe body, and he wondered about her. "I'm Saffir," he told her, deciding that admitting his name couldn't hurt.  
  
He wasn't sure if it really happened, but Saffir thought he felt the arm around his waist tighten for a second before relaxing. There was that hesitation again, then she spoke. "My name is Ami. Mizuno Ami."  
  
***  
RULING PLANET: Mercury. In astrology, Mercury rules intelligence and reason.  
***  
  
They walked back to her apartment together, Ami's thoughts all ajumble. She looked at the handsome man who leaned heavily on her, almost unable to believe that he was one of the enemy. But if the Black Moon wasn't a dead giveaway, then the name certainly was- Saffir.  
  
She wasn't sure why she was taking him to her place when, in all good sense, she should be calling the rest of the Senshi to help her deal with him. Perhaps it was something in his eyes, the way there was a desperation that had nothing to do with himself reflected in them. Perhaps, against all odds, one of the Black Moon Family wasn't their enemy.  
  
She helped him into the elevator that would take them into her place. His breathing was heavy and she didn't like his color- he was far too pale. Then again, it could have been just from his life on Nemesis- the rogue Moon probably didn't get much sunlight.  
  
With shaking hands she managed to get the dead bolts undone. He leaned against the door as he waited for her to finish. She helped him over to the nearest couch and let him get comfortable. "I'm going to get some medical supplies," she informed him, darting off into her mother's bedroom. She shut the door behind her and clicked her communicator, praying that Saffir wouldn't overhear. Makoto answered almost immediately.   
  
"What's up, Ami-chan?" the tallest Senshi asked. Unlike usual, her eyes lacked the good cheer Ami had come to associate with Jupiter's Senshi. Chibi-Usa's fate was taking a toll on all the Senshi.  
  
"Shhhh," Ami whispered warningly. "I have one of the Black Moon Family at my house," she informed her friend and fellow warrior. She prepared to tell Makoto about him, but didn't have the chance.  
  
"What?!" Makoto replied, stunned. "I'll be right over!" she said as the communicator flashed off.   
  
"But-" Ami trailed off as only static answered her. She rubbed her forehead, feeling the start of a migraine come on. She grabbed some medical supplies and started to the door, well aware that in a few minutes, a group of frantic Senshi would be arriving, prepared for a battle.  
  
She pushed the door opened, half expecting Saffir to have left. When she saw him lying on the couch, almost unconscious, she felt a deep desire to start shaking him. He was one of the enemy who had taken Chibi-Usa away, and he deserved to suffer for that. Ami blushed as she realized how uncharitable her thoughts were- she had no clue who he was... perhaps he was just a citizen of the Black Moon Family who desired the healing Sailor Moon was able to perform. She shook her head, denying the possibility. The man had looked at her as though he was used to be in control.  
  
She walked over to him, feeling his sharp eyes follow her every movement. She knelt down beside him, pulling out the hydrogen peroxide and pouring a small amount of it onto a sterile cloth. "This may sting, but I have to clean you up some," she told him.  
  
He nodded stoically, seeming to be oblivious to her presence, but she wasn't fooled. She had the feeling that Saffir noticed everything- like her, he was one of the world's observers. She quickly wiped down his face, surprised as blood came away from it. The blood was as red as her own, which was something she hadn't wanted to know. It meant that the enemy was human underneath all their evil. "How did you get injured?" she asked softly.  
  
He didn't reply, and she felt an uncharacteristic sense of anger. Repressing it, she met his eyes evenly. "We're going to have to remove your jacket so I can tend to your ribs."  
  
Her hands shook as she helped undo the buttons. He watched her with a slightly cynical smile. It was obvious she didn't have much experience with men, and the way she modestly averted her eyes made him almost want to chuckle- but only almost. He grabbed her wrist as she got ready to clean his battered rib cage. She looked up in surprise, dropping the cloth she had been using. "You're going to have to look at what you're doing," he warned her.  
  
Her face flushed and she was about to reply when it happened. A loud yell came from near the window.  
  
"I am Sailor Jupiter!"  
  
"Sailor Mars!"  
  
"Sailor Venus! And we shall punish you!"  
  
The two blue-haired individuals turned to stare at the Senshi who were posing in front of a large picture window. Ami sighed as she felt Saffir's grip on her wrist turn into a steel vice.  
  
"Leave him alone," she said in her soft voice.  
  
The Senshi and Saffir looked at her in surprise. "But he's one of them!" the Mars Senshi spat angrily.  
  
Ami looked at Rei, saddened to hear her previous opinion on her close friend's lips. Judging from the way Jupiter and Venus were glaring at Saffir, they felt the same. "There is no 'them,'" Ami replied. "Since when did we judge someone before they acted?"  
  
"Since they warped poor Chibi-Usa!" Rei retorted quickly.  
  
Ami could almost feel the tension in the room peak. She looked at Saffir and watched as the Black Moon on his forehead began to pulse with power. Rei began to summon her fire, and Jupiter started to cry for her thunder.  
  
Just as Ami was about to transform into Sailor Mercury, in walked Sailor Moon. Ami hated how late Usagi always was, but she had to admit that the girl knew how to make an entrance. "Ai to seigi no, sailor-fuku bishoujo senshi Sailor Moon! Tsuki ni..." Sailor Moon trailed off in the middle speech as a woman flew into the room with a glad cry on her lips.  
  
Beruche hurried over to Saffir, kissing him warmly on the cheek. He looked up at her in amazement, for once truly stunned. Then his eyes hardened as he remembered that this woman had betrayed the family.  
  
"You know him?" Sailor Moon asked, hoping, as usual, to avoid battle.  
  
Beruche nodded. "This is Saffir," she said. Then her face darkened with concern. "He's Demando-sama's younger brother."  
  
All the Senshi were, quite simply, dumbstruck. Ami looked at the man she had been caring for in a new light. Not only was he one of the enemy, but he was brother to THE enemy. She would have pulled away from him if her hand had been free.   
  
"We can use him to get Chibi-Usa back," Mars said.  
  
Silence hung in the room. Then Sailor Moon spoke, her voice soft and commanding. "No. That will put us down to their level. We fight for love and justice- and there is no justice in taking prisoners."  
  
The Senshi all bowed their heads guiltily.   
  
"What are you doing here, Saffir?" Beruche asked gently.   
  
"I don't talk to traitors," Saffir said, then he went stiff. Here he was, in a room full of his enemies, yet for the first time since overhearing the Wiseman's plot, he felt safe. He looked at the girls in the short skirts and wondered why he, ever the paranoid, trusted them. Ami still was kneeling beside him, and he realized that one of the Senshi was missing- Sailor Mercury. His mind quickly pieced the puzzle together and all of his feelings of mistrust returned. Ami must have noticed the Mark of the Black Moon and decided to take him somewhere where she could keep an eye on him.  
  
"What is she doing here?" Ami was asking while Saffir entertained his other thoughts. He was able to do both, as multi-tasking was one of his many capabilities.  
  
"When you said a member of the Black Moon Family was here, Luna insisted that I bring one of the Ayakashi sisters here. Beruche was the only one I could find," she said.  
  
Beruche nodded. "And since its obvious he's not going to talk to me, I had better be going. But just so you know, I'm not the traitor, Saffir-kun. Rubeus betrayed me and my sisters, leaving us to fend for ourselves. Is that the kind of Family you want to belong to?" she asked, not expecting an answer. "Even though you would find this time period primitive and inconvenient, it is much happier then anything a resident of Nemesis will ever experience at home. You have a place with the Ayakashi sisters should you ever want it." She turned and walked away, tossing her pale braid over her shoulder. She paused at the doorway and looked back at Sailor Moon. "He's not a bad sort, Sailor Moon. Of all the inhabitants of Nemesis, I would say he is the best." Then she was gone.  
  
The Senshi just looked at him. It was though a bomb had been diffused. The tension was still almost palpable, but the room no longer felt like a powder keg waiting for a match.  
  
"What are you here for, Saffir?" Ami asked.  
  
He looked at the Senshi and wondered if there was any way to escape. He quick mind noted the details of the room, and he finally had to conclude that he was well and truly trapped. "I came here to see someone," he said finally.  
  
"Who?" Venus asked. "Sailor Moon?"  
  
"My oniisan, Demando," he said.  
  
Rei watched as Usagi's expression grew strained. After being captured by the White Prince, the Moon Senshi had become decidedly nervous even thinking about him.  
  
"You're in no shape to do that," Ami said. "Stay here tonight," she told him. She braced herself for the flood of objections.  
  
"Ami-chan!" all of the Senshi exclaimed together.  
  
"You can't have him here by yourself! He's the enemy! He's dangerous!" warned Venus.  
  
"I can handle it," she said softly. "Besides, where else can he stay? At the temple? Uh-huh... and watch Yuricchiro go after him in an attempt to protect his 'Rei-san'," she said, ignoring the fact she was using the Senshi's real names in front of an enemy. "Jupiter's? I doubt he could manage all the stairs. Venus'? Or, perish the thought, Sailor Moon's?" she said. "It's going to have to be here. I can defend myself well enough. Besides, my house has already been compromised."  
  
Saffir watched as Ami shot down each possible suggestion before they were even offered. The Senshi argued it out for a few more minutes, but the conclusion remained the same. Finally they prepared to leave.  
  
"I don't like you," Mars said to the blue-haired man. "Ami-chan is being nice enough to let you stay here, so you had better not abuse her trust. If anything happens to her, it's going to be your neck," she said warningly. Then she followed the rest of the Senshi out, leaving an uncomfortable silence in her wake.  
  
Ami looked at him, not sure what to do now. She had an enemy spending the night, and she couldn't figure out why she hadn't insisted at least one of the Senshi spend the night. And Chiba Mamoru would have been useful to invite over as well. Sighing, she bent her head to attend to his ribs, yanking her hand back. He let her go without protest.   
  
Saffir wasn't able to make sense of any of it. "Why did you defend me?" he asked.  
  
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she continued her efficient movements, binding his ribs tightly. "I don't know, Saffir-san. All I ask is that you don't betray me."  
  
Saffir almost laughed at that. The Black Moon Family was not known for its loyalty, and now this small girl was blithely asking him not to betray her. "Not this night, Mizuno-san. You are safe from me."  
  
She caught the qualification to that remark and decided she would have to settle for what she could get. Tonight there was an uneasy truce, and she intended to make full use of it. If she was cunning enough, perhaps she could coax him into letting a piece of vital information slip. "I'm not as weak as I appear," she murmured as she tied off the bandage. He had a nice chest, muscular without being bulky, but he was paler then any human should be. She remembered how Demando looked almost like an albino and decided that white skin must be a family trait.  
  
"I should say not, Sailor Mercury," he replied with a mocking smile. He recognized her tactics almost immediately and moved to counter without conscious thought. He was a product of a dangerous political system.  
  
Her flush grew deeper. "I suppose you would pick up on that," she said as she rose to her feet. Her wrist was sore from where he had held onto her, but she refused to rub it.   
  
"It's rather obvious," he drawled mockingly. "Aside from the fact that Sailor Mercury was missing, you knew Sailor Mars' name and the Senshi all knew you, your costume really doesn't disguise you that much."  
  
"Most people don't see the obvious," she said. Ami rose to her feet and looked down on him. "Would you like something to eat?" she asked. "I haven't had dinner yet."  
  
"As long as you promise not to poison me," he replied lightly, even though he was more then half-serious.   
  
"You are very paranoid," she told him as she headed for the kitchen. "If I wanted you dead, I could have killed you in the alley. The Senshi don't kill, Saffir-san," she finished as she disappeared behind the kitchen door.  
  
Dinner was instant ramen. Saffir was able to handle his chopsticks, though there was an awkwardness that led Ami to believe he didn't often use them. The silence between them was starting to get on her nerves. Finally finished her dinner, she cleared her throat.   
  
"Mizuno-san?" he asked, knowing that she was waiting for a sign of his attention.  
  
"I'm going to have to ask you to get up for a minute, Saffir-san." She stood and pulled him to his feet, then wrapped an arm around his waist as she helped settle him into an over-stuffed loveseat.   
  
"What do you need the couch for?" he asked as she began to tug it into the center of the room, away from the rest of the furniture.   
  
She glanced over at him, trying to send him a friendly smile. "I need to pull out the hide-away bed and make it for you. You need rest," she replied.  
  
Ami darted to the linen closet to get the sheets and a few extra comforters. Grabbing an armload, she walked back into the living room and dropped then on the table as she attacked the couch again.  
  
"You really don't have to do this," Saffir murmured as he watched her rid the couch of its seats.  
  
She shook her head stubbornly, blue wisps of hair falling into her eyes. "You need a decent bed tonight, and the sofa bed is pretty good," she informed him. She reaching into the couch frame and yanked out the bed, grateful for her Senshi strength. The thing was HEAVY.  
  
In less then two minutes she had the bed neatly made. She placed the last goose-feather pillow in place and returned her attention to her somewhat unwanted (and unwilling) guest.  
  
"Now let's get you in there," Ami stated.  
  
Saffir waved away her hands and climbed to his feet himself. He walked over to the bed and sat down on it gingerly, careful not to jar his ribs. She watched him with eyes as calm as the sea, her different emotions flickering through too quickly for anyone to catch had they been looking at Ami. "I'm going to go do some studying," she told him. "I have an exam tomorrow. Try to get some rest." She started to walk towards her room.  
  
Saffir stopped her. "Won't your parents be in later?" he asked. "How are you going to explain having a strange man in the house?"  
  
She looked back over her shoulder and gave him a weary smile. "My parents are divorced. I live with my mother, but she's at a medical conference for a few weeks." Then she quit the room.  
  
Saffir stared thoughtfully at the place she had just vacated. The Mercury Senshi was much more complicated then he had originally thought, which only made her more dangerous. He tried to focus his mind onto this new bit of information, but his activities of the day finally caught up with him. Being attacked by the Wiseman, fleeing into the past and his minor confrontation with the Senshi made for a very long day. He barely managed to slip beneath the thick comforters before falling into a deep healing sleep.  
  
***  
LUCKY NUMBERS: 5 and 3  
***  
  
Usagi walked away from Minako, Makoto and Rei after wishing them a good night. The night was dark around her, but she walked with an assurance that would have deterred even the most experienced attacker. Though she was young, her body posture was confident.  
  
The last few weeks of her life had matured the future queen rapidly. She had a glimpse of the future, and it had terrified her. Usagi believed that Sailor Pluto had been right when she had told them that no one should know too much about their future. Then to lose Chibi-Usa like that...  
  
Her face was stony as she thought of Prince Demando. He had much to answer for- how could he take the daughter of the woman he claimed to love and pervert her into the exact opposite of what she had been? If any of the Senshi had seen Usagi's face at that moment, they wouldn't have recognized her. The gentle princess they guarded so fervently was infuriated.  
  
Without realizing it, her feet had taken her to Mamoru's apartment complex. She climbed into the elevator in a daze, not exactly sure what she was doing there. She knocked on his door, getting the strangest feeling of deja vu. The last time she had come here, Usagi had barely been able to talk him into letting her come in.  
  
The door opened and Mamoru stood there, a pair of wire-frames perched on his nose. Usagi thought glasses tended to make people look nerdy (a certain person names Umino came to mind), but on Mamoru, they looked sexy. His face took on a slight smile as he saw his soul mate. "Usako," he whispered warmly, grabbing her and dragging her into his apartment, kicking the door closed behind them. He bent his head down to kiss her, but she walked passed him towards his living room. He watched her with a slightly pained expression. Since finally getting back together with her, he was aware of a distance she had placed between them. It hurt him more then he cared to admit.  
  
"Mamo-chan," she said as he took the seat beside her, "I'm not sure what to do anymore." She turned her body towards him, looking vulnerable.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
A single tear slipped from her eye. "Am I such a terrible person?" she asked.  
  
"No, Usako!" he protested, grabbing her into a tight hug. "Why would you ever say such a thing?"  
  
"So many things. Look at Chibi-Usa! She's my future daughter and I fought with her like a child- how could she love such a mother? And the Senshi- I can't even get anywhere on time, and I'm suppose to be their leader? And how about us?" she whispered. "You never had a choice about loving me- my mother forced the issue. Sometimes I think the world would be better off without me."  
  
He grabbed her with the shoulders with strong fingers and shook her, trying to jar her back to reality. "Usako! Never EVER dare think of such things again! Without you..." he shut his eyes, not wanting to think of the possibility, "there is no reason to continue living."  
  
"Isn't there? You seemed to be doing it well enough a while ago," she replied bitterly, referring to their enforced break-up. "I wish you had trusted me enough to let me know what was wrong rather then just dumping me."  
  
This was the crux of the matter, Mamoru recognized. Usako thought he hadn't told her the reason behind their break-up because he hadn't trusted her. It couldn't have been farther from the truth. "Usako, I trust you beyond the brightness of the sun," he said. "I knew exactly how you would react to my dream, and I feared it. I love you so much and I couldn't bear to see you hurt." He moved his hands from her shoulders up to her head, entangling his fingers in her blonde hair. He tilted her head back and kissed the tearstain away.  
  
"As for Chibi-Usa," he said after a moment, "you didn't know. You treated her as a sister, and with that comes fighting along with the love. You are not her mother- at least, not yet. At times, every child feels alone and unwanted. It's a part of growing up. She would have gotten over it if the Black Moon Family hadn't twisted her.  
  
"The Senshi love you," he said, stilling Usagi's last concern. "And though you may not be the bravest, or the brightest, you are the most beautiful inside. When someone is with you, they just can't help but feel loved." Mamoru hugged his princess gently, relishing the feel of her soft body against his own. "And that is why they follow you."  
  
Usagi's eyes widened as she suddenly recalled why she had come over to his house in the first place. "I almost forgot to tell you- I'm such an air-head!" she exclaimed. She grabbed his chest and met his eyes, trying to convey her concern.   
  
"Tell me what?" he asked.  
  
"That Ami has a member of the Black Moon Family at her house... and he's Demando's brother."  
  
Mamoru's face darkened at the mention of the White Prince. He remembered seeing him trying to force Usako to kiss him... and Mamoru felt a familiar surge of jealousy in his veins. "What is he doing there?"  
  
She shook her head, her ponytails waving behind her. "We're not sure exactly. What we do know is that he was injured when he came... and he's troubled by something."  
  
"Who's with Ami?" he asked.  
  
"No one. He's not much of a threat right now."  
  
Mamoru mentally cursed the Senshi's idealism. They all believed there was good in everyone, and were hardly able to conceive of the idea of betrayal. He started to rise to his feet, but Usagi clung to him. He looked down into her clear eyes and was surprised by the wisdom he saw there. "It will be O.K.," she said, speaking in a soft voice that didn't seem to belong to her. She buried her face into his chest and inhaled his scent- chocolate and after shave, the combination unique to him. "I'm going to call my parents and say I'm spending the night at Ami's. I'm staying with you tonight."  
  
Mamoru knew that he should object, but looking at her, the words just deserted him. His answer was a silent one, but from the way he hid his face in her hair, Usagi got the message loud and clear.  
  
***  
POLARITY: Pisces. Virgo is the sign of work and self-improvement. Its natives are perfectionists who dissect facts in order to find the truth and obtain all the information available. Pisces, Virgo's opposite sign, is the sign of illusion and self-deception. Of all the signs, Pisces is the only one who can give Virgo problems (aside from Sagittarius).  
***  
  
His Royal Highness, Prince Demando of Nemesis, sat on the Pellucid Throne appearing as strong as his namesake. Instead of being handsome, he was beautiful like a diamond, and just as cold. Only one thing could warm him to any passion- the thought of Neo-Queen Serenity, the silent sleeper in the Crystal Palace.  
  
Beside him sat her daughter, the warped Black Lady. Just as beautiful as her mother, she lacked the purity and love that had touched the heart of the White Prince. Black Lady had the power of the jakozuishou flowing through her, and like everything it touched, she had been twisted into a terrible caricature of her former self. Small Lady was gone; all traces of the child beloved by the Senshi had been washed away as though she had never existed in the first place.  
  
From the floor below him, a swirl of lights appeared. The Prince watched calmly, used to the dramatic entrances of his most trusted advisor. The Wiseman rose from the floor, his face covered, as usual, by the low cowl. His claw-like hands were playing with a crystal globe. "My Prince, I come bearing distressing news from the future," he said. His voice was eerie and entrancing at the same time.   
  
His face expressionless, Demando motioned for his lackey to proceed.   
  
"I fear that Saffir had betrayed us," he stated grimly.  
  
Demando's world collapsed. Black Lady watched in amazement as, for the first time since she had known him, there was visible emotion on his ivory face. Shock, pain, then finally disbelief. "No, it can't be," he said softly, clenching the arm of the chair tightly. "Saffir would never betray me."  
  
The Wiseman's eyes started glowing. "He has stolen the control card to the jakozuishou. Without it, we cannot harness any more power," he said. "The future is fluctuating."  
  
The Wiseman had never lied to him before. Demando closed his eyes for a second, trying to regain his equilibrium. "He must have had some reason," he said, clinging to the hope that Saffir was still on the side of the Black Moon Family. Throughout all the battles, Saffir had always been there, his adoring younger brother. He had dreamed of having the Neo-Queen by his side, but Saffir had always been his other self.  
  
"He does have a reason," the Wiseman returned. "He is jealous of your power," he said, preying on the fears of every reigning head of state. "He wishes to replace you."  
  
Black Lady smiled evil and stretched, giggling slightly. "I'll help you, your Highness!" she declared rather grandly. "I'll get the control card back, and punish Saffir while I'm at it!" She rose to her feet, her long legs flashing through the slits in her dress.  
  
"No! Don't hurt Saffir!" Demando commanded harshly, the old protective urges towards his younger brother welling up inside him.  
  
"He is a traitor, and thus, no longer part of the family. You know what we do to traitors!" the Wiseman countered. He started to sink into the floor again, but his sibilant his lingered in the air behind him. "Kill him."  
  
Black Lady laughed and leapt into the air, disappearing. The White Prince sat on his hard throne alone, unable to believe that one of the pillars of his very existence had just been turned to sand and washed away. "Ototochan," he whispered sadly. Then he faded from the Palace, hoping to find Saffir and hear his explanation. There had to be one aside from betrayal.  
  
***  
COLORS: Navy Blue and Gray- the classic colors of taste and refinement.  
***  
Four in the morning.  
  
Saffir's eyes jerked open as some kind of internal alarm went off. He usually needed very little sleep, but his injuries had changed that. He touched his ribs carefully, testing for pain, and was relieved that there was only a dull ache in reply. The power of Nemesis flowed through his veins like wine, and it had healed one of its children. He shoved the covers off and slipped his feet onto the floor, grateful for the thick carpeting. His night vision was decent, so he was able to find his jacket and shoes without too much trouble.   
  
Saffir slipped into the thick blue jacket, carefully buttoning it. His hand reflexively went to the upper pocket to feel for the control card. Reassured by its presence, he slid silently across the room towards Ami's bedroom. She had left her door opened, obviously so she could check on him without too much effort. He peered in, surprised that she wasn't in bed.   
  
Ami sat at her desk, her head resting on an open textbook. Her mouth was slightly open and he could see her chest lift with her light breathing. Some of her hair was covering her face, the brilliant blue a striking contrast to the pallor of her skin.   
  
He watched her for a second, his thoughts moving at a thousand miles. She looked so vulnerable, and in her sleep, she was. It would be so easy for him to snap her neck quickly. It wouldn't cause her any pain. His eyes widened as he grasped the possibilities- without Sailor Mercury, the future Senshi wouldn't have the strength to continue the shield, and the Crystal Palace would fall.   
  
But if the Senshi never cast the spell, there would no reason for any of the Black Moon Family to go back into the past, and he wouldn't have had the chance. Paradox. He could easily rip the time stream apart with such a careless action. Temporal Mechanics had never been one of his favorite things. There was only one master of that subject, and that was Sailor Pluto. For some reason, he doubted she'd be willing to help him.  
  
Besides, he had given his word that he would not harm a hair on Ami's head this night. He remembered the look in Mars' eyes as she warned him he had better keep that promise. He had the feeling that no place or time would be safe if he crossed the Senshi. Anyway, he was a honorable man. He would keep his word.  
  
He glanced back once before leaving, struck by how fragile she appeared. It was so hard for him to believe that she was one of the Senshi.  
  
Ami had the strangest feeling that she was being watched as she slowly surfaced from the clutches of sleep. She raised her head slowly, not surprised to see that she had fallen asleep in the middle of studying. She had so many responsibilities to juggle that she was just waiting for it to all come crashing down around her. Daughter, friend, Senshi, star student- she just hoped she could continue to succeed until... until things changed somehow.  
  
Shaking herself out of her reverie, she touched her left cheek. It tingled from lack of blood, and she was sure she must have a brilliant red blotch on it where the book had pressed into her skin. It wouldn't be the first time.  
  
As she shook the last remnants of slumber from her mind, she remembered her guest. Rising to her feet without her usual grace, she stumbled towards the door. As she feared, the bed she had made was empty- Saffir was gone.  
  
Without thinking, she clicked her communicator on and waited for someone to reply. After about thirty seconds, someone answered. "Hello?"  
  
Her jaw almost dropped in shock. "Mamoru-san?" she asked, surprised.  
  
He nodded and ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair. "Hai. Usako decided she wanted to stay over tonight, and the little beep on this thing doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of waking her up." His face lost its smile. "Is something wrong with Saffir?" he asked.  
  
Ami ignored the implications of Usagi's presence at Mamoru's apartment. "He's gone," she said. "I have the feeling that he went to the Dark Crystal to find Demando."  
  
"Let him go," he answered.  
  
"No. I- we- I think the Senshi are needed with him," Ami answered tentatively. "If we're lucky, he might lead us straight to Chibi-Usa."  
  
Mamoru frowned. "I thought Rei was the psychic one of you girls," he said. "I'll wake Usako up and get the rest of the Senshi together." He clicked out, grasping at any hope to reclaim his future daughter.  
  
She stared at her communicator for a second before grabbing her henshin stick. "Mercury Star Power!" she called, beginning her transformation.  
  
***  
DOMINANT KEYWORD: I ANALYZE  
***  
  
Saffir stood in an alleyway, trying to catch his breath. His wounds from the Wiseman's attack had been severe, and he really should have allowed for a longer recuperation period. But he didn't have the time, so he was forced to write his body an IOU by tapping into the power of the Black Moon. After a few hours of regular health, he knew he would collapse into a coma-like state for hours, dangerously vulnerable. It would be worth it, though. There was no way he was going to let the Wiseman's plans hurt his brother.  
  
He hoped that he wasn't too late. There were so many variables that he couldn't possibly account for them all. He had no clue exactly what the Death Phantom was- only that the Wiseman served him. The Wiseman was a powerful creature, and Saffir didn't want to see what the Master of such a servant would be like.  
  
It seemed as thought the Dark Crystal was an unreachable goal- for every few steps her took, it appeared to be moving backwards at an equal rate. Finally he rounded the corner of a small street, and the Dark Crystal Palace lay right before him.  
  
He steeled himself mentally, preparing for his brother's anger. He had deserted his post in the future, but after he explained, surely Demando would understand. Together the brothers could reclaim he control over the jakozuishou and complete the conquest of Crystal Tokyo.  
  
He stepped out into the street, looking coldly at the policemen who had set up a perimeter around the Crystal. A few hardy news hounds were camped out at the very edge, but aside from that, the streets were deserted. Saffir knew that in such a crowded city as Tokyo, this was a very odd site- almost as strange as having a large black object grow out of nowhere.  
  
He started to walk through the police tape (which strangely said "crime scene") when one of the officers stopped and confronted him. "You can't go in there! It's not safe!"  
  
"Can't" was one of the few words no one ever said to Saffir, younger brother to the Prince of Nemesis. His eyes flared and he motioned carelessly, propelling the officer backward about twenty feet. Even though he rarely used his magic combatively, his aim was good. The officer landed in a heap against a building, unconscious. The man wasn't too badly damaged, but he would have a hell of a headache when he woke up.  
  
"Nice to see you've kept up your magical skills, Saffir," a voice came from above him.   
  
Saffir summoned a shield as soon as he heard the voice. "Black Lady," he said.   
  
Black Lady floated about fifteen feet up in the air, her legs crossed. She smiled at him nastily, her red lips cruel. "Hello again to you. And good-bye," she said. She tossed Luna P up into the air and called out for it to change. The cat head turned into an umbrella, which she opened with a flourish.   
  
Saffir had long suspected that Black Lady's allegiance lay with the Wiseman instead of Demando, and now he had all the proof he needed. Saffir's powers were depleting rapidly, though, and he was well aware of Black Lady's strength. He thought for a second, then decided on a strategy. Fight smarter, not harder.  
  
Instead of attacking the pink-haired psycho, he aimed a small concentrated blast at the Luna P-turned-umbrella, understanding that Black Lady liked to channel her attacks through it. The umbrella imploded, returning to its originally form. She cried out in fury. Had anyone been looking at Luna P, they would have noticed that its expression looked slightly dazed.  
  
But no one was looking. Saffir had begun a mad dash towards the crystal, prepared for a few more attacks. If he could manage to deflect the attacks for the next few blocks, he might be able to get through to his brother... if not, he was a dead man.  
  
Black Lady whirled towards the blue-haired fugitive, wanted to avenge the damage to her Luna P. Shutting her eyes, she attuned herself with the jakozuishou, feeling its power throb through her. Opening her eyes, she sighted Saffir and started to prepare burst of magic that would utterly destroy him.   
  
"Chibi-Usa!" a voice called, distracting her from her spell. "Stop this! Onegai! This is not you!"  
  
It seemed as though the world had stopped. The power Black Lady had been summoning dispelled, and the Senshi stood in front of her. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen stood together, their linked hands saying so much more then simple words.  
  
"We love you," Sailor Moon continued, for it had been she who had spoke. "Come back to us... we miss you."  
  
Black Lady's eyes flashed longingly, but then her bitterness regained control. "You miss having someone to ignore, you mean," she said. "You'll not catch me in that trap again! I am Black Lady, conduit for the jakozuishou!" With a feral howl, she threw out a burst of dark power, scattering the Senshi.  
  
Saffir, meanwhile, had almost made it to the Dark Crystal.. Black Lady hadn't followed him, and he wasn't about to question his luck. From behind him, he felt a surge of power, and almost unwillingly, turned around to prepare for the attack he was positive was coming. To his surprise, he saw the Senshi being scattered to the winds like leaves. A man in a strange formal outfit slammed into the Dark Crystal itself. Saffir recognized him as the one who had stolen Sailor Moon away from Demando.  
  
"Shimatta," Saffir cursed in a whisper. What are the Sailors doing here? he wondered. Had Ami heard him leave? He doubted it, but then anything was possible. But why were they here?  
  
"Now that they're out of the way for the time being, I can get back to the matter at hand," Black Lady said, appearing in front of him. "Give me that control card back, now!" she commanded him.  
  
"Never!" he spat back.   
  
"Why not?" a voice said, coming from behind him.   
  
Saffir's eyes widened gladly as he recognized the cool tones of his brother. "Oniisan!" he cried.  
  
Prince Demando stood in the middle of the street, a soft wind lifting his cloak off his shoulders. He looked like the diamond for which he was named, cold and hard and beautiful. Saffir searched his eyes for the trace of gentleness Demando only showed him, but there was nothing there. Obviously the Wiseman had gotten to the Prince already. "Why did you steal the control chip?" he asked.  
  
Saffir mentally winced at the rebuke, but knew he was doing what was right for his brother. "Demando-sama, the Wiseman has betrayed you! He seeks to cause the jakozuishou to overflow and open a Gate for his true master- the Death Phantom."  
  
Demando looked down coolly. "You and your silly jealousy of the Wiseman. He is my most loyal advisor... I trust him with my life."  
  
Saffir walked over to his brother, picking up the Prince's cool hand, wrapping it earnestly in his own. "Don't you trust me?" he pleaded. "Has all this time together come to mean nothing to you?"  
  
Something flashed in Demando's face, but it was gone too quickly for Saffir to tell what it was. "Give me the control card back and we'll forget this ever happened."  
  
The moment of truth. Saffir longed to fork it over, but he realized that with it, the Wiseman would succeed. "I... can't," he whispered, feeling like his heart was being torn out.  
  
"Very well, then," Demando said. He looked up at Black Lady, who had been observing the entire conversation with fascination. "Get the control chip back," he commanded her.  
  
"With pleasure," she responded.  
  
"Oniisan!" Saffir cried, tightening his grip, unable to believe what was happening. Demando, the man who had been his protector his entire life, was deserting him.  
  
"I have no brother," Demando replied, yanking himself free of his younger brother's hands. He turned around and faded from view, leaving only a heart-broken young man and Black Lady, who was gearing up for another attack.  
  
Saffir crumpled to his knees in disbelief, feeling as though he had just been stabbed through the heart. He was completely oblivious to Black Lady's attack. She hurled a bolt of powerful energy at him, and it hit. His shield absorbed most of the energy, but enough of it got through to send him flying into the wall. It was just too much for him- he collapsed into unconsciousness, his body claiming its much-needed rest at the worst possible time.  
  
"And now to finish it!" Black Lady declared. She retrieved the Luna P, which had recovered from Saffir's earlier attack. She whipped it into a cane (much like the one carried by Neo King Endymion) and pointed it at the unconscious man.  
  
"We can't let you do this!" Mars called from behind her. The Senshi were slowly struggling to their feet, finally recovering from the blast that had been thrown at them.  
  
"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Sailor Venus called at the same time, shooting out her most recent attack. It wrapped itself tightly around Black Lady's waist. Venus jerked it, causing Black Lady to lose her grip on the cane. As soon as it touched the ground, it turned back into Luna P.  
  
"That wasn't nice!" Black Lady howled.  
  
"Chibi-Usa..." Sailor Moon whispered as she pulled herself upright. "Don't hurt anyone- you'll never forgive yourself.... this isn't you."  
  
"How do you know who I am?" Black Lady returned angrily. The upside-down moon on her forehead began to glow with a weird shimmery light. She touched it with her right hand and moaned as another wave of power was poured into her. "You left me ALONE!"  
  
Raising both hands to the sky, the light seemed to run along her body to coalesce in a glowing ball that floated in the space between her hands. "Black Moon Eternal Night!" she called as rays of the dark energy shot forth from her fingertips to wrap themselves around the Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen and the unconscious Saffir. All of their bodies jolted in pain. The Senshi stood weakly, refuse to succumb.   
  
"Shabon Spray!" Mercury exclaimed, relying on her earliest attack to provide some shelter from Wicked Lady's misguided wrath.  
  
The Senshi quickly withdrew, Jupiter remembering to pick up Saffir. As the mist cleared, only Black Lady and Tuxedo Kamen remained.  
  
"Now is not the time for battle, daughter," he told her softly. Producing a white rose, he tossed it so it landed in her hands. "Know that we love you and miss you... someday we'll make things right again. I promise you that." With a swirl of his cape, he bounded off too quickly for her to follow him.  
  
Black Lady stared down at the rose in her hands, wondering. 


	2. A Game of Pawns

Part Two: A Game of Pawns  
-or-  
The Enemy of My Enemy.....  
  
***  
GLYPH (WRITTEN SYMBOL): The symbol represents a Virgin, for it is a pictograph of the human reproductive organs closed and untouched. It symbolic terms, the glyph is a straight line connected to two curved lines, one of which is crossed. This represents wisdom tied to feeling and emotion, and crossed by practicality.  
***  
  
The Senshi sat in Ami's living room, worried. Rei's eyes were fastened on the man who lay in the sofa bed. Ami had left the house in such a hurry that she had forgotten to fold up the bed- which, in retrospect, was a good thing.   
  
The teenagers had been very quiet since arriving. Jupiter and Venus, still in Senshi form, had slid the unconscious Saffir into the bed. Ami then checked him over carefully, repairing whatever damage she could. The others had watched wordlessly, unsure what to make of the latest development.  
  
Finally Usagi was the one to break the uneasy silence. "Is he going to be all right?" she asked Ami. Usagi wasn't concerned about the jakokuzuishou or the potential danger having one of the Black Moon Family in their midst; she was worried about the welfare of a man who could still prove to be the enemy- typical of her.  
  
"Physically, I think he'll be fine. He heals at an astounding rate- second only to us in our Senshi forms." Ami paused before continuing, looking down at her feet, trying to find the right words. "Mentally, though... I'm not sure. When Demando rejected him, I could have sworn I felt something snap inside of Saffir."  
  
Minako looked at Ami in surprise. Mercury was the gentlest of the Senshi, and aside from Usagi, the most likely to feel sympathy for an enemy. The occasional looks at Saffir Ami was stealing caused Minako to have a sense of alarm run through her- along with an unknown feeling. She frowned, losing track of the conversation that was continuing without her.  
  
"Snap? What do you mean?" Luna asked.  
  
"She means that Saffir just had his heart broken," a masculine voice came from the doorway.  
  
The Senshi lifted their heads, startled. Usagi rose to her feet and lunged, wrapping her arms tightly around the man's waist. "Mamo-chan," she sighed into his chest, pressing her cheek against the place where his heart beat for her.  
  
Mamoru's hand caressed the long golden hair and a faint smile touched his face. His voice, though, was serious as he continued. "I was the only one close enough to hear what Demando said to him: 'I have no brother,'" Mamoru finished.  
  
"That's-that's- inhumane!" Rei exploded. "Even the Black Moon Family couldn't be so cruel to one of their own!"  
  
"Apparently they can," Makoto said bitterly. "I guess even family isn't sacred anymore." The brunette Senshi was furious. She had lost her family to an accident, so she treasured the meaning of it above anything else. Rejecting a family member willingly was the most abhorable act she could imagine.  
  
Mamoru moved over to the loveseat, still accessorized by a blonde Odango Atama. He settled onto it carefully, wrapping his arms around her tightly. The destined lovers had been having a rough time lately, first with the dreams, then Demando's fascination with Usagi, and finally the loss of their future daughter.  
  
Minako looked at them, feeling the bond that bound them together tighter then any marriage vows. A frown appeared on her pretty face. She glanced at Ami, then at Saffir and suddenly she realized what her other feeling had been. Her powers as the Senshi of Love were giving her a premonition of a dangerous possibility. Please, Ami, she thought. Don't do it. He's the enemy. You can't fall in love with Saffir.  
  
Ami looked back and forth at the two men present. There was a startling resemblance between the two. She wondered if she was the only one who noticed, then saw Rei wearing a bemused expression on her sharp face.  
  
"So when do you think he'll wake up?" Luna asked. As a cat, her knowledge of human physiology was somewhat limited.  
  
"He may not wake up at all," Mamoru answered his beloved's guardian. "He's just lost his main reason for living. He may just slip into a coma and die. I've seen it happen before."  
  
"No," Ami objected. "He'll wake up. Just because Demando rejected him, it doesn't mean Saffir rejected Demando. He'll wake up," she reiterated.  
  
"The question is what do we do with him?" Artemis asked.  
  
"He'll stay here, of course," Ami answered as though she was stating the obvious.  
  
"It's not safe!" Rei protested, fearing for her friend's well being.  
  
"He didn't do anything to me last time," Ami reminded her.  
  
"He still had something to lose. Maybe he'll try to regain Demando's favor by killing a Senshi," Rei told her angrily, shaking her finger in Ami's face the way she usually reserved for Usagi.  
  
Usagi lifted her head from Mamoru's warm body and looked at her friends with serene confidence. "No, he won't hurt Ami," she said softly. "He's smarter then that. Besides, I don't think he's the type to kill someone in cold blood."  
  
Luna looked at her charge, well aware of Usagi's ability to perceive the soul of a person. "Someone should at least stay with Ami-chan."  
  
Mamoru opened his mouth to volunteer, recognizing that he was the most obvious choice, but Artemis spoke first. "Luna or I should stay- Saffir might construe having another Senshi around as a threat."  
  
"Are you volunteering?" Minako asked.  
  
Artemis uncurled himself from Minako's lap, doing his best to look fierce. "If Ami-chan needs me, of course I will stay and defend her!" he declared grandly.  
  
The Senshi hid their smiles behind their hands, careful not to offend the small creature's pride. "He does have a good point," Luna conceded.  
  
"Well, he's certainly welcome to stay," Ami said. She smiled as Artemis crawled onto her legs. He started to purr as she scratched behind his ear in just the right place... and the rest of the Senshi wondered why he and Luna took every chance they got to spend time with Ami.  
  
"But who is going to stay with Saffir during school hours? He's not exactly a common human. I guess we could ask Petz or one of her sisters..." Rei said, trailing off.  
  
"I'll stay," Ami said. "I'm far enough ahead that I can afford to miss a few days of classes."  
  
Dead silence greeted her statement. Ami miss class? The very idea of Ami voluntarily missing school was anathema to everything they had come to know of her. "But, Ami-chan, we have a math test!" Usagi protested.  
  
"I'm sure Haruna-sensei will let me take it later," she answered. "This is more important. If he decides to be... difficult, the Ayakashi sisters don't have the powers anymore that could stop him. It has to be either a Senshi or Tuxedo Kamen."  
  
Rei prepared for a long drawn out argument, her violet eyes flashing with the fire she   
commanded as Sailor Mars. Makoto touched her shoulder, subtlety shaking her.   
  
"Now that the issue of Saffir has been taken care of for the time being, we can move onto more important matters," Luna said, moving the conversation along as smoothly as an experienced politician. "What are we going to do about Chibi-Usa?"  
  
Mamoru and Usagi seemed to cling to each other tighter at the sound of that name. The Senshi could practically feel the heartache rolling off the pair. Mamoru shut his eyes and tried to find something semi-lucid to say. "I gave her a rose," he said finally.  
  
"Huh?" Minako asked.  
  
"Roses have ever been the symbol of love. I gave her a white one, just so she knew we still loved her, no matter what happens."  
  
"That's sweet of you," Minako said.  
  
"Sweet or not, it doesn't do us much good," Luna said primly. "We have to deal with her sometime- and it may not be very pretty. She's powerful- and the time may come where one of you has to kill her... or be killed yourself."  
  
The idea was repulsive to everyone present in the room. Usagi's nails dug into her lover's waist as she spoke up. "We can't kill her!"  
  
"Even to save the world? I have the uneasy feeling that might be the choice you are forced to make," Luna informed her. Luna hated having to be so cold, but it was her duty to make sure the Sailors were aware of the danger.   
  
"Without her, there will be no world," Usagi responded softly. "I'm sure it won't come to that- within that monstrosity that calls herself Black Lady somewhere there is still my Chibi-Usa."  
  
The Senshi weren't really able to think of anything else to say. One by one they excused themselves, claiming that they had to get ready for school, as it was rapidly approaching seven am. Finally only Ami was left. She looked down at the man who was sleeping like the dead. She envied him for being able to find blessed peace.  
  
***  
"Virgo is reserved, modest, practical, discriminating and industrious, analytical, and painstaking, seeking to know and understand."  
***  
  
Ami lifted her head from the book she was reading as the doorbell cheerfully announced that someone was outside. Glancing at the clock, she was surprised that it was already past noon. She limped towards the door, her body still sore from her early morning battle.  
  
I doubt the Black Moon Family would bother with the doorbell, she thought as she unlocked the chain. She swung the door open and smiled as she saw two of the Ayakashi sisters, Petz and Beruche. Beruche had a box in her hands and looked like her normal self, yet Petz wore a hesitant expression on her pretty face.   
  
"Good afternoon, Ami-chan," Beruche said. "We stopped by to see how you were managing with Saffir. Cooan and Calaveras had to watch the business, or else they would have come, too."  
  
"Come in, come in," Ami said, backing up so her guests could enter. After the two older woman had removed their shoes, they went into the living room.   
  
Petz stared at Saffir with an odd sort of longing on her face. Ami watched as she smoothed his hair back from his forehead. "He's even more beautiful then the last time I saw him. I didn't think it was possible," Petz said softly.  
  
Ami wasn't sure what to say. "Were you... involved?" she asked delicately.  
  
"A while ago," the older sister responded. "Lovers, and maybe even friends- at least, as close to friendship as the Family gets. It broke off before I went back into time, though. Saffir just wasn't able to stay interested in me. I'm not intelligent enough."  
  
"Don't say that!" Beruche reprimanded her sister. "You're very smart. It's just that Saffir is so much more intelligent then anyone else around, Ami-chan. He's Demando's main tactician, and he's also the one who did a lot of the weapon design for the conquest of Crystal Tokyo. I've never met anyone with his sheer brilliance."  
  
Ami's face grew darker as Beruche began to describe some of Saffir's accomplishments. Science and math were his fortes, as they were hers. He was apparently an accomplished scientist (alchemy and physics being his particular field, though mechanics were also easy for him) and mathematician, and had even managed to create a way to transfer magical power into a more practical form that could be harnessed for other purposes. When Beruche concluded by informing her that Saffir was the one who had designed the droidos, Ami almost had a heart attack. All this and he was only twenty-two! It was mind-boggling. She wondered what would have happened if Saffir had been the Prince instead of Demando. For some reason, she didn't like the idea.  
  
Ami was tempted to wake Artemis up. Artemis was asleep on her bed, getting in some much-needed rest. Cats needed around sixteen hours of sleep a day, and having Minako as his charge certainly wasn't condusive to THAT happening. Something warned her to wait for a while, and internal instinct she had learned not to ignore.  
  
"He's very close to Demando, isn't he, Beruche-chan?" Ami asked, wanting to get a fuller perspective on the situation.   
  
Beruche wasn't the one who answered. "He believes the world revolves around Demando-sama," Petz said. "Their father, Onyx, died when Saffir was very young. For all practical purposes, Demando was the one who raised him. Saffir is fiercely loyal to his oniisan."  
  
Ami blanched. Things were just getting worse and worse. First she found out that Saffir was much more dangerous then she believed, now she learned that he was likely to be even more upset then she had anticipated. She certainly didn't need such a loose cannon around. Her day was just getting worse and worse.   
  
Beruche finally noticed the worry that was playing across Ami's face. "I wish I could say something to reassure you, but Saffir is dangerous. The Blue Prince may even be more dangerous then Demando-sama when it comes down to it. Demando loves his people, his brother, and the Neo Queen. Saffir loves only Demando. But Saffir is a good man- true to his word."  
  
"The Blue Prince?" Ami asked.  
  
"Saffir is Demando-sama's brother, heir to the thrown of Nemesis. Demando is called the White Prince, for reasons that are obvious when you see him. So they call Saffir the Blue Prince, almost as a nickname."  
  
"Then Saffir has no loyalties other than to his brother?" Ami asked, trying to pry information out of Beruche, the more talkative sister. Petz was sitting by Saffir, watching him breath as though each breath he took might be his last.  
  
"None," Beruche answered confidently.  
  
"That may make things even worse then they already are," Ami said. She quickly informed the sisters of Demando's rejection of Saffir.   
  
They looked at her, horror-stricken. "No," Beruche whispered, moving away from Saffir suddenly, as though she had suddenly become aware of a viper at her breasts. "A Saffir without anything to lose?" The idea was enough to give her nightmares.  
  
Petz looked up with crazed eyes. "Impossible! Demando loves Saffir, I know that! Demando couldn't have meant that! He'll apologize."  
  
"Royalty, apologize? Especially the Crown Prince of Nemesis?" Beruche questioned. "I think he'll regret it, but he will never take it back. Demando is as hard as the diamond for which he was named."  
  
"But what does that mean for Saffir?" Ami asked.  
  
"It means I have to undo the Wiseman's influence over my older brother," Saffir said softly from where he was lying. While the three woman had been distracted by their conversation, Saffir had slowly regained consciousness. Overhearing the discussion, he had decided to keep his eyes closed and see what he could learn. It seemed that Sailor Mercury was carefully probing the Ayakashi sisters for information on him, not that he could blame her. He had to admire her subtlety. He had decided that he wasn't going to overhear anything useful, and intervened to prevent Beruche from spilling too much information about him. He forced himself to sit up.  
  
The females in the room all spun around. Petz was the first to regain her voice. "I see that you're awake," she said in a gentle voice.  
  
"Hello, Petz. It's been a while," was his response. The two former lovers met each other's eyes squarely, and Petz was the first to look away. She had looked into those icy eyes of his and seen nothing but spite. She may have secretly harbored hopes that there still might be something there, but no longer. One look into his face and she realized that there never had been anything to salvage. She doubted Saffir was capable of loving anyone aside from Demando.  
  
"I- I had better get going," Petz said as she rose to her feet. "I just stopped by to say hello to Ami-chan," she lied hastily. Saffir just watched her with a stony expression as she hurried to the door, shoved her feet into her shoes and took off.  
  
The room was silent as the three remaining people just sat there. Finally Beruche found her voice. "That really wasn't very nice of you, Saffir-kun," she reprimanded him.  
  
"I didn't do anything," he replied coolly.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Ami went over to Saffir to check for a temperature. His glare didn't daunt her because she refused to let it. "From what I understand, you're a pretty intelligent man," she said in her calm voice. "I need to check to make sure you don't have a fever from healing- it happens sometimes, especially with those of us who have magic in our nature."  
  
He watched as she placed a clammy hand on his forehead. She's scared of me, he realized, though the idea that his enemies were afraid brought no joy to him. It brought no feeling. It seems I've gone into post-traumatic stress, he thought clinically. Having the very foundation of your world ripped out from underneath you must do that to a person.  
  
"No fever," she pronounced, then scurried back to the safety of the loveseat.  
  
"I brought something for you as a get-well present," Beruche announced to Saffir. He arched an eyebrow inquisitively as she handed him the box she had carried in. "I know you already have one, Ami-chan, but this made me think of Saffir-kun."  
  
Saffir wasn't quite sure what to make of what was happening. A get-well present? Must be some kind of Earth custom he hadn't heard of. He took the box Beruche shoved cheerfully at him and opened it slowly, careful not to tear the paper in which it was wrapped. Neatness, order....   
  
Inside was the most beautiful set of chess pieces he had ever seen. They were made up of a beautiful stone and each were carved into the traditional shapes- Saffir was a purist and Beruche had apparently remembered that. The white pieces each glinted in the room's light. Rather then black, though, the opposite color was a rich blue that matched his hair. He couldn't object to that change. He picked one up and looked at it with a speculative eye.  
  
"You play?" Ami asked, the words forced from her.  
  
Saffir nodded and Beruche giggled. "Who do you think taught me?" she asked.  
  
"He did?" she asked, amazed.  
  
"I did NOT teach her to cheat, though," he responded, on the defensive for the first time in Ami's presence.  
  
"You're too rigid to ever want to," Beruche retaliated.  
  
"Chess is an ancient game that deserves respect. I wouldn't want to cheat- I can beat anyone on my own merits. Besides, if I DID cheat, I wouldn't do it in a manner that I could get caught, unlike a certain someone I could name," Saffir said.  
  
Ami wasn't sure she was able to take this in- Saffir was in prime form, sarcastic as anything. He didn't seem to be reacting to his brother's abandonment of him in the fashion that was to be expected.   
  
"You don't need to cheat. When was the last time you lost a game?" Beruche demanded. "When you were five?" Her pale eyes lit up as she suggested, "Why don't you play Ami-chan. She's an excellent player." Then she made a pretense of looking at the clock. "I had better get going," she said, taking her leave of them with much more style then her older sister had.  
  
Ami looked at Saffir and knew how well they had been set up. Beruche apparently had an agenda of her own, making sure that Saffir and Ami got along.  
  
Saffir shrugged and slid out of the bed, wincing. His hands started to shakily set up the board.  
  
"You really shouldn't be out of bed," Ami said hesitantly.  
  
"My wounds are going to take a few days to heal enough for me to do anything about the current situation," he informed her. "If I just lie there, I'll go stark raving mad. Are you going to play?" he asked rather testily.  
  
She smiled and took the white pieces. "This is a top-quality set!" she exclaimed as she felt how heavy the piece was and examined the detail on it.  
  
"Nothing but the best for the Ayakashi sisters. Apparently some things don't change," he said, his voice full of something Ami couldn't identify readily. Could it be sadness? she wondered.  
  
She moved out a pawn and waited for him to return her attack. He studied the board with a practice eye, and Ami felt goosebumps across her back. Saffir acted as a professional, rather then a casual player. He surveyed his options carefully before responding with a pawn, mirroring her opening.  
  
Interesting choice, she thought as she considered the possibilities. "But some things do," Ami said, bringing one of her knights into play.  
  
His face was expressionless as he shifted his queen forward, challenging Ami's defense. "But we don't have to accept that."   
  
Ami was well aware of the multi-level game they were playing. "Perhaps," she replied mysteriously. She looked at the clock, gauging the time. "The rest of the Senshi will be out of school in a few hours," she informed him, moving her rook.  
  
He took a pawn in response. "Shouldn't you be there as well?"  
  
She captured a knight. "Yes, but you needed someone to look after you, and I decided I could afford to miss a few days of classes." She gestured towards the stack of books sitting on one of the end tables. "Besides, I usually learn more from books then from classes."  
  
He spared her heavy pile a looked before taking another of her pawns. "I'm not surprised. I always found it trying to be in a group when learning- too many people to hold me back. You know, even in the future, Sailor Mercury is considered the most intelligent of the Senshi."  
  
She blushed slightly, aware of his implied compliment. "Please don't tell me anything about the future. I prefer to think we make our own destiny." She moved one of her white pawns towards a bishop, hoping he would fall for her trap.  
  
He didn't the bait. "Time is a fixed object. Ask Sailor Pluto- she watches it to protect what MUST happen. We merely exist within it, playing our destined parts," Saffir replied in a voice as cool as ice.  
  
Ami disagreed with him. "Then what's the point of living?" she asked, finally bringing our her Queen to capture another of his pawns.  
  
"Why play a game? You already know the outcome- someone will win, someone will lose, or there will be a tie," he stated. "You play for the fun of it." He pushed his Queen forward, grabbing a rook.  
  
Ami's eyes flashed as she noticed his mistake. The Queen was now in range of her knight, and she could take it. Her nimble fingers followed through, satisfied that this was still something she could do well. Without his Queen, Saffir was at a major disadvantage.  
  
A faint smile touched his lips, a smile that sent shivers down her spine. He moved a bishop, and the lay of the entire game changed. Her eyes widened as she realized that Saffir must have been planning this from the very beginning, and she, like a child, had walked right into it. He looked deeply into her eyes, and she was suddenly even more aware of the Black Moon on his forehead. "The Queen Sacrifice," he said softly.   
  
"Checkmate."  
  
***  
"Virgos exude a feeling of peace and love- as a result, they have good relationships with others."  
***  
  
"Are you ok, love?"  
  
Petz looked over her desk at her sisters Calaveras. Her eyes were soft and quiet, so different then they had been when she had been a servant of Rubeus. The sisters had grown very close since their healings.  
  
"I will be," Petz answered, deciding to give up the pretense of doing paperwork.  
  
The red-head came around and knelt down beside her older sister. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" Calaveras asked, taking Petz's cold hand in her own.  
  
Petz smiled sadly. "Saffir-sama hasn't changed at all," she said as though that was enough.   
  
It was indeed enough for Calaveras. Saffir was bitter and biting, extremely brilliant and frightening. She had never understood how Petz could love such a man, yet every now and then Saffir would blaze with a passion that was entrancing. True passion was rare on Nemesis. "And you still love him," she said softly.  
  
"I suppose I always will. He holds part of my heart, whether he wants to or not." Petz's eyes glittered with unshed tears.   
  
"Saffir is an idiot- he doesn't realize what a treasure he holds," Calaveras said angrily.  
  
The idea of Saffir not being brilliant forced a laugh from Petz. "No, Calaveras. It is not his fault. He simply was never allowed to learn to love anyone but Demando-sama." She squeezed Calaveras' hand reassuringly. "In a way, I'm glad I saw him. Saffir was my last link to the Black Moon Family. Now that that tie is severed, I have closure on that chapter of my life. I can move forward with no more regrets."  
  
Petz stood up, taking Calaveras with her. "Let's close shop a little early today and do some shopping. I could use a new outfit. I have a date this Saturday," Petz said.  
  
Calaveras followed her sister out of the room, sure that Petz would be ok. The last part of her healing had finally begun.  
  
***  
ELEMENTS: Earth and Water.  
***  
  
The Wiseman's hands curled around the globe, summoning the energies of his master, the Death Phantom. Beside him sat Black Lady, who was twirling a white rose between her fingers with a rather thoughtful look on her striking face. Every now and then she looked up at the creature that had led her down such a dark path, her expression thoughtful.  
  
Dark power enveloped her in a thick haze of hatred, yet the simple rose was more fascinating to her then the possibility of world destruction. Why had Tuxedo Mask bothered to give it to her? His roses were made up of his very essence, and by giving it to her, he had given up some of himself.  
  
The Wiseman, though, wasn't overly concerned with her distraction. Things were going much better then he had originally planned. Saffir, Demando's irritating younger brother, was finally out of the picture. True, the Wiseman would have preferred to have him killed (death was a much cleaner solutions to life's little "problems"), but perhaps things had worked out for the best. Rubeus and Esmeraude were gone as well; that left him as the White Prince's only trusted confident. As long as Demando continued to believe Saffir had betrayed him (the very idea of it amused the Wiseman, who had seen the hero-worship in Saffir's face too many times to count), he would not take anyone into his inner circle. The stage was set; all that remained was for the Death Phantom to make his entrance.  
  
Saffir's theft of the Crystal Key Card made things more difficult then the Wiseman would have liked, but hunting it down would have been futile. The Wiseman, no slouched with the jakozuishou himself, had to redesign the command center to by-pass the need for the Card. It lacked efficiency, and no more power could be added, but there was enough power in there already as long as he used in carefully... all the Crystal had to do was cycle a few more times.....  
  
"It is strange, is it not, Black Lady, that the House of the Black Moon all hinged on the love of brothers?" he mused aloud.  
  
She nodded, agreeing with her Master completely. "The House was doomed to fall anyway. Saffir was a weakling," she said.   
  
The Wiseman's eyes flared with the light that meant he was incensed or impassioned. "No. Saffir is stronger then Demando- our Prince has a fatal flaw that I will be able to exploit. Without his younger brother's protection, Nemesis will fall that much quicker."  
  
The derisive snort that greeted his words showed Black Lady's opinion of that. "Saffir never left the jakozuishou or his study long enough to be any problem."  
  
"He was the brains- Demando was the beauty. If the Prince had listened to Saffir, perhaps this battle would have been more difficult. Or if Saffir had been the Prince- now HE would have been a worthy foe." The Wiseman's hands stilled for a second as he considered that might-have-been before resuming their swirling motions. "It is no matter. By now he has been suitably disposed of- either one of the Senshi killed him, or he died of the injuries you gave him."  
  
Black Lady wanted to disagree about Saffir's fate, but decided it wasn't worth her time. She continued to fiddle with the rose, trying to figure out the puzzle that had been offered to her by Sailor Moon's lover. Could this be the same man who would later become her father?  
  
"How much longer until the jakozuishou will be ready?" Black Lady asked.  
  
"Three days," the Wiseman replied. "Three days until we open the Dark Gate."  
  
***  
"Hard workers and conscientious, Virgos are perfectionists with little tolerance for shoddy work. There is no place in their world for people who are footloose and fancy free."  
***  
  
The final bell rang, and the students were set free from the imprisoning school-building. Usually one Tsukino Usagi would be at the head of the rush (unless a certain infamous phenomenon know as detention reared its ugly head), but today, she rose quietly from her desk.  
  
Gathering her books to her chest protectively against her chest, she started to move slowly towards the doorway, her eyes on her scuffed shoes. Haruna-sensei watched as the girl left, wondering exactly when the world had started to fall apart.  
  
Usagi's body language spoke of utter hopelessness. Rather then bounce along the way she did usually, she walked at a sedate place that would have had her mother checking for a fever. She slumped along, and even her ponytails seemed to be drooping.  
  
She looked up at the sky, wondering where Chibi-Usa was. She carefully averted her gaze from the Dark Crystal, wondering why the rest of the world kept spinning when things should skid to a halt. Didn't anyone understand how much danger they all were in? she wondered. People were still going to work, going to school and caring on as usual when they should be celebrating what could be the last days of their lives. Perhaps they all expect the Senshi to save them again with some miracle, she thought sadly. The problem is the Senshi may have run out of miracles to go round.  
  
A shriek interrupted her uncharacteristically serious thoughts. "Usagi-chan!" Minako hollered as she coasted to a stop. "We should be heading over to Ami's."   
  
Usagi frowned, looking around for Artemis. He wasn't in Minako's basket or on her shoulder, his two customary places. "Where's Artemis?" she asked.  
  
"And they call ME an airhead," Minako muttered in a somewhat offended tone. "He's at Ami's- remember? There's a member of the Black Moon Family there?"  
  
"Gomen nasai," Usagi replied. "I was thinking about other things. Are Makoto and Rei going there as well?" she asked.  
  
Minako sighed. Even though Usagi actually had a reason for being out of it (not that she usually needed one), it was frustrating to deal with her. "Yes, Usagi-chan. They're already on there way- Mako-chan went to pick up Luna, so that's why they sent me to remind you."  
  
The former Sailor V grabbed Usagi's wrist and started to pull her along at rapid pace. "Slow down, Minako-chan!" Usagi protested. "I have all my books!"  
  
Minako dropped her friend's hand and smiled guilty. "Gomen ne," she said.  
  
Usagi looked at the Venus Senshi and then her eyes narrowed. "You're in an awfully big hurry, aren't you? Is something wrong?"  
  
Minako's eyes were somber as she looked at her princess. "It's... it's nothing," she said finally.  
  
This time it was Usagi who was doing the grabbing. Her eyes were steady as she held onto Minako's shoulder firmly. "What's wrong," she said, making it a command to be answered. Every now and then, flashes of the princess Usagi had been would come through.  
  
Minako always had to resist the urge to genuflect when Usagi spoke like that. "I do not want to leave Saffir-san and Ami-chan alone... I got the strangest feeling that if we're not careful, something could happen."  
  
"Like what?" Usagi asked.  
  
"I am the Senshi of Love, and when I look at those two, I see the possibility of romance between them," the Venus Senshi admitted, hating to put another burden on Usagi's already overloaded shoulders.  
  
"There's that possibility for everyone," Usagi said, not getting the point.  
  
"Not like this- a soul consuming relationship, where only the other partner matters," Minako said worriedly, trying to find the words to articulate her concerns and fears.  
  
"Like me and Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked, trying to put it into terms she understood.  
  
"Exactly- but Saffir-san is a member of the Black Moon Family. With him and Ami-chan, it would be a constant struggle for dominance- and I can just see her giving into whatever he wanted to keep him happy. She's very traditional when it comes to serious things like marriage."  
  
Usagi chewed on her lip, trying to find it in herself to argue on Ami's behalf, but had to concede that Minako was right. "Are you sure?" she asked. "I mean, you've only seen them together once. You could be wrong."  
  
"I hope I am," Minako said softly.   
  
Usagi was about to reply, but then she heard a distant clock chime, reminding her of the time. Her eyes widened in horror. "We're so LATE!" she said, beginning one of her famous I'm-so-late-why-can't-I-ever-win sprints towards Ami's apartment complex.   
  
Minako followed hot on her heels, no stranger to being late herself. The strange thing about dealing with Usagi, Minako thought as they rounded a corner, careening wildly over the sidewalks, is that I think she suffers from multiple personality syndrome. Just when she's finally acting like a leader, she goes back into her childishness.  
  
The two blondes ran as quickly as they could, Usagi momentarily forgetting her depression. Their feet pounded as they finally reached their destination. Climbing into the elevator, the dangerous duo impatiently waited for it to deliver them to Ami's floor. Taking a sideways glance, they pulled out their henshin jewelry and changed, determined to keep their identities secret from Saffir as long as possible. Every advantage they could find might help.  
  
Together, the blonde bombshells barged into her home, not even bothering to take off their shoes as was customary. They skidded to a stop as they took in what was happening.  
  
Surprisingly, they were the first to arrive. Saffir was awake and sitting on the floor, staring at a chess board. Ami sat on the opposite side of the table, a small smile playing on her usually somber face. The pair looked up and returned their attention to the game.  
  
"Hello. Mars-chan called and said she'd be a little late- something came up with another student and she had to stay. Jupiter-chan should be here any minute. Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge," Ami said absentmindedly, not really paying attention to her close friends. Her formidable intellect was concentrated on the game in front of her. Saffir had beat her three times our of every four, and she wanted to finish their little chess marathon on a win. Saffir seemed equally determined that she not defeat him again.   
  
Ami had defeated Beruche's teacher twice, to his astonishment. The look on his face when she manavered him into that first checkmate had been priceless- for once, rather then an enemy, he had looked like an overly cocky young man who had just been handed his confidence back on a platter. It was satisfying for her to challenge him- so few could challenge her mentally, and she was painfully aware of how poor her fighting skills were. An equal.....   
  
The two others hurried into the kitchen to bring out food, Usagi carrying what would have been a three-course meal for most people, proclaiming it as a light snack. Saffir watched Sailor Moon while pretending to concentrate on the chess game. Of all the people in any world, or any time for that matter, this was the person he despised most. Without her, the Wiseman would never have been able to get his claws into Demando. The blonde sat down in a chair and proceeded to stuff her face in a graceless fashion, and Saffir felt the antipathy flair like a fire that had had gasoline thrown on it. His brother risked everything for this creature?  
  
Usagi was blissfully unaware of the man's hatred, concentrating on her soda. Food had always been a refuge for her, when people said she was too stupid, or when something was wrong in her life. She was slurping the last bit down when the door burst open, admitting a worried Sailor Mars. She, too, took in Ami and Saffir's preoccupation with an unusual amount of interest.  
  
"Jupiter's still not here?!" she exclaimed in a concern voice.   
  
"She went to get Luna," Venus exclaimed, looking up from the fashion magazine she was browsing through. The Senshi of Beauty clicked her teeth derisively, wondering who had decided Meiou Setsuna knew anything about fashion. That woman's stuck back in the seventies....  
  
Mars just sat down on the floor, shaking her head. Any press photographer would give their eye teeth to be able to see this scene- the Sailor Senshi hanging out in full uniform. Scowling fiercely, Sailor Mars understood that nothing would get done until Luna arrived- but she didn't have to like it. She decided that she'd spend the time making more ofuda... she had the feeling she might be needed them soon. A small part of her was tempted to hit Saffir right where his moon was and watch what happened. Bet that would distract him, she thought with malicious amusement as she prepared the calligraphy pens she'd taken from Ami's desk. She managed to quell the impulse.... barely.  
  
"Checkmate!" Ami announced gleefully, the sudden sound breaking through the quiet room. "Got you this time, Saffir-san!"  
  
He tilted his head, managing to look boyishly charming without meaning to. He studied the board, looking for some escape, but found none. "Hai. But that's only the third time you've won. I've defeated you ten games out of thirteen."  
  
This of course, set all of the Senshi even further on edge. They had always believed that Ami was the most brilliant person they had ever known, and had relied on this for them to defeat their enemies. The news that she had lost so many times at chess -one of her strongest talents- was enough to make Saffir go from "dangerous commodity" to "dangerous intelligent enemy".  
  
Sailor Jupiter walked into this minefield, unaware that one misstep would set off the explosives. She dropped Luna onto the floor casually, then plopped onto a chair, stretching her long legs. "We all ready?" she asked.  
  
Decision time. Usagi looked around and saw the dislike on Rei's and Minako's expressions, Ami's somewhat distracted manner, Saffir's coolness and Makoto's confusion. "Yes. Saffir-san, tell us what you know of the jakozuishou," she commanded.  
  
His eyes flashed brilliantly. "I will not betray my people," he said softly.  
  
"Even though they tried to kill you?" Rei demanded, not understanding how he could possibly forgive him.  
  
"It wasn't their fault!" he protested angrily. Then he flushed, the warm color highlighting his strong cheekbones.  
  
"Oh? How about Esmeraude? And Rubeus? I could easily see either of them trying to kill their own mother, let alone you!" Mars snapped.  
  
"They weren't always like that," he whispered, a subconcious hand touching his ear which lacked the charecteristic black crystal earring worn by every other member of the Black Moon Family.  
  
Ami picked his hand up, leaning over the chess board, scattering a few of the pieces carelessly. "Saffir-san, you must tell us what happened. If you ever want to see Demando-sama free from the Wiseman, we must know!"  
  
Kind blue eyes clashed with glacial ones, Ami holding firm until she saw cracks in his facade. "But you're the enemy...." he whispered.  
  
"There's a saying, I think it's Middle Eastern... 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,'" Ami informed him. "Trust us, Saffir-san," she said, squeezing his hand gently.  
  
Intellectually, Saffir realized that he was unable to justifying betraying everything he had learned since birth, yet if it saved Demando-sama... "The Wiseman isn't really a part of the Black Moon Family."  
  
"We guessed that," Jupiter said, irony lacing her words. The Senshi, in spite of themselves, had shifted to a more recepetive posture, sensing that Saffir was going to spill.   
  
He shut his eyes, trying to decide exactly where to begin his story.   



	3. Child of the Books

Quicksilver's Quill Offers:  
VIRGO  
Part Three:  
  
  
Child of the Books  
-or-  
Beyond the Sun  
***  
"Virgos crave details and facts."  
***  
Saffir, second son of Prince Onyx and his consort Topaz, was born  
on dark day that the sun did not shine- in other words, a standard day for  
Nemesis. If the Black Moon Family had bothered to keep track of his  
birthday, they would have noted that his birthday fell on September  
sixteenth, making him a Virgo. And he would certainly grow up to be the  
quinessessional Virgo.  
But they didn't. He was a second son, the 'spare' that usually  
managed to get shuffled away. By the time he was six, he was already  
taking care of himself, sneaking into the kitchen to make sure he was fed  
(if left up to others, he would sometimes miss meals for days on end),  
dressing himself, and generally making himself as unobtrusive as possible.  
All in all, it was a dreary, pointless life for a small child.  
Saffir, though, achieved one feat that managed to entertain himself.  
He taught himself how to read.  
This was an astonishing feat, especially when one considered that  
he barely talked, since he had no one to talk to. One day, he stumbled onto  
the Palace libraries. Sneaking inside, his eyes widened as he saw all the  
heavy volumes. On one side there were a row of extremely advanced  
computers, but Saffir didn't have a password to use them. He crept up to a  
shelf and pulled an archaic book down, wondering exactly what is was.  
It took him a month to puzzle out the written word, but once he  
did, he started to devour the library at a rate which was astounding. Ten  
books a day, and that was on a bad day. He'd spend his entire day there,  
leaving only to eat and sleep. New worlds opened to him, those of history,  
mathematics, physics, alchemy. One book was on chess, and he quickly  
scrounged up an old board and begin to play against himself, mastering  
complex strategies.  
It was one day, probably sometime during his eighth year, that  
everything changed for the forgotten prince. He was curled up in a corner  
of the library on a somewhat overstuff chair that smelled slightly of  
mildew, something that was prevalent in the library. Balancing a large tome  
on his lap, he looked like a miniature scholar.  
He heard the soft murmur of voices in the main library, but didn't  
let that concern him, continuing to read about gradients. The few times  
someone else had come in, they had used the machines and left as though a  
dragon were on their heels. Nemesis was a grim place to live, yet the  
oppressive air of the library made even the stoutest citizen want to leave.  
Except Saffir. If asked, he would say that the forgotten lore of the  
library was what made people so nervous- as though all the secrets of the  
world where locked up in this one place. Saffir was determined to know  
those secrets.  
This time, though, was different. The voices came closer, and  
Saffir was able to make out three distinct ones- two young men and one  
female (who had the most annoying laugh he'd ever heard). He eavesdropped  
shamelessly, continuing to read at the same time- the first time he ever  
successfully managed to multi-task.  
"... computer?" one man was saying.  
"For me to do that, someone would have had to put the information  
into it in the first place. No one bothered," the other man replied.  
"It'll have to be the book, but I can't find it."  
"Is it really that important?" the female demanded in a somewhat  
whiny voice.  
"You don't have to be here, Esmeraude-chan," the first man said.  
At this point they rounded the set of shelves that had hid Saffir.  
He looked up at them watchfully, wondering what book it was they were after.  
Setting his book down gently, he studied them closely, mentally entering  
their images into his organized mind.  
The female was around fifteen or so, fluttering a fan with a  
careless hand. Her hair was a brilliant green, and he decided that  
"Esmeraude" was certainly a fitting name. Her body still held traces of  
her childhood, but in a few years, she would be stunningly beautiful.  
The older of the two men had unkempt red hair- hair that reminded  
young Saffir of a flame. His eyes were hard, but that was common for any  
member of the Black Moon Family. What scared Saffir was that this man was  
cruel- and sadistic. He made a mental note to avoid this one whenever  
possible.  
The last of the trio, though, was the one who held Saffir's  
attention. He looked about sixteen, but Saffir wasn't sure since the  
teenager held himself with a dignity that would have suited Prince Onyx.  
His hair was white as was his skin and clothes. White was such a rare  
color that Saffir found himself staring. He'd seen the word "charisma"  
before, but didn't understand it until he looked upon this man.  
The trio finally caught sight of the child who was sitting  
half-hidden in the shadows. Esmeraude stepped forward menacingly, snapping  
her fan at the youngster. "You! What are you doing here?" she demanded.  
Saffir opened his mouth to reply, but the white-haired teenager  
held up a hand to forestall him. "Esmeraude, manners. He's only a child,"  
the man said in a gentle voice that still managed to convey authority.  
"Children can be spies, too," the red-haired man pointed out.  
"Are you a spy?" the white man asked, as though no one would dare  
lie to him.  
Saffir certainly wouldn't. "No," he said, his voice husky from  
lack of use. "I just was reading a book."  
Esmeraude sniffed derisively. "A good excuse," she said. "A  
book? Why not a computer? And I doubt," she continue, yanking Saffir's  
book off his lap, "that someone your age is capable of understanding "Atomic  
Manipulations for the Mathematically Oriented'."  
Saffir lunged forward and grabbed the book out of her hands,  
knocking her fan to the floor (something Esmeraude held against him to the  
end of her life). "I can, too," he said defensively.  
"Oh? Then you're familiar with the library?" the white -haired man asked,  
not seeming to notice the incongruity of a child understanding such  
material.  
Saffir nodded, his hair, long overdue for a trim, falling into his  
eyes. "Hai. You were looking for something?" he asked.  
"Yes. A book called 'Earth: Geography and History'. It may be in  
a large set- I think there's about six of them or so, actually, but I'm not  
sure."  
"There's seven, actually," Saffir said.  
The trio stared at him. "You know where it is?" the red-haired  
man asked.  
"I've read it," Saffir replied. Setting his precious book down,  
he scampered over to a shelf that was a few feet away. He pointed up, as  
he was unable to reach the books without assistance, and he refused to allow  
them the satisfaction of watching him drag a stool over. "It's on the  
second shelf from the top."  
The white man reached up, extending himself to his fullest possible  
length and grabbed one of the books. "This is it," he said, his voice  
slightly amazed. The other two teens looked at him, and Esmeraude let out a  
cackle that sent Saffir's teeth on edge.  
"So the little bookworm is for real," she said, fluttering her fan,  
shooting a coy look at the white-haired man.  
"Indeed," the white-haired man mused thoughtfully, running a hand  
over his smooth cheek. He knelt down so their were on level, and for the  
first time, Saffir looked into the most remarkable pair of amethyst eyes he  
would ever see. Years later, he would remember this as one of the defining  
moments of his life. He was aware of being weighed carefully, and for some  
reason, a slight gleam of approval appeared in those violet orbs that  
brimmed with vitality. "My name is Demando, child. Who are you?"  
Saffir's eyes brightened, and a brilliant smile illuminated his  
tiny face. So this imposing man was his older brother he had heard  
whispered about? "I'm Saffir, oniisan!" he exclaimed gleefully.  
Esmeraude stopped fluttering him fan. The still-unknown man's jaw  
dropped. Demando's expression didn't change a hair. "You're that  
Saffir?" he said.  
The blue-haired child nodded. Then he averted his gaze slightly,  
recognizing that he was talking to the Heir to the Pellucid Throne. By all  
rights, Demando should hate him- a second son was always a threat.  
Demando's mind, always cunning, started to shift through the news.  
Here was his little brother, a child who had never really been interested  
in. He'd heard a few things here and there, but all and all, the child was  
a nonentity. Now here they were together, and Demando looked down at him.  
The child was startlingly intelligent, and that was dangerous for an older  
son. He could, of course, arrange for an assassin, but Demando firmly  
believed in making lemonade from lemons. This child was still young and  
malleable. And besides, something in the boy's eyes called to something in  
Demando that he hadn't know existed.  
"I would like to speak to you at a later time. Unfortunately, I  
don't have the time right now. For your future reference, my companions  
are Esmeraude and Rubeus." They nodded as he named them.  
The Heir and his entourage left the library, leaving Saffir to his  
books. He headed back to his chair, picking up his book. His mind  
absorbed the information, though for once, his heart wasn't in it.  
Finally, he set aside the book, cupping his chin as he assumed a classic  
thinker's position. His face furrowed as he thought of the man he had just  
met.  
Beautiful. That was the only word that summed Demando-sama up.  
He was beautiful physically, but Saffir had caught the look of intelligence  
on Demando's face, which made his physically beauty pall. Even though he  
didn't realize it, Saffir was more then half in love with his older brother.  
The next two days were tense ones for the young boy, the waiting  
enough to drive him crazy. He started to dream, something he had never  
done before during his short life. His dreams were full of vivid images of  
Demando, a dream of the White Prince -but wasn't he only the Heir? and why  
the White Prince?- sitting on a throne, beloved and respected by his people.  
Saffir stood in the corner, watching and loving Demando more then anyone  
else. Purple eyes fixed on a goal only he could see, Demando opened his  
mouth to speak, and then the dream ended.  
Those dreams should have terrified him, yet Saffir felt strangely  
refreshed after each dream. Yes, he was on the side, but Demando was  
there. Demando was everything.  
Three days after the encounter in the library, Saffir again ran  
into the man with flaming hair who Demando had called Rubeus. This time  
the boy was darting through the Palace kitchens, scrounging up a meal. He  
never bothered thinking of it as breakfast, lunch or dinner, for Saffir  
would only eat when he felt hungry- sometimes going many days without food  
for lack of hunger.  
Rubeus walked into the kitchen, a look of disdain on his fox-like  
face. He looked down at his boots in disgust, not relishing the task that  
had required him to descend to the level of commoners. He was NOT an  
errand boy, but for Demando, he would make an exception. That didn't mean  
he had to like it.  
"You there," he said bluntly, pointing a finger at Saffir.  
"Demando-sama wants to see you."  
The boy swallowed the hunk of cheese he had been chewing on.  
"Now?" he asked, rather surprised. He hadn't been expecting anyone to  
actually bother tracking him down- rather, he had believed that they'd ask a  
servant to keep and eye on the library or something to that effect.  
"Of course, now," Rubeus responded testily. "When Demando-sama  
states he wishes something, he means NOW. Get up, boy, and come with me."  
Saffir ran a hand through his over-long hair, wishing he had time  
to prepare. His clothes were old and ink stained from his attempts at  
calligraphy (he'd swiped a set of pens and ink from a beurocrat's desk), and  
he was sure his face could use a good scrubbing. But Rubeus was tapping  
his foot impatiently, and Saffir decided that arguing would be futile. With  
a wistful glance at his half-eaten meal, he followed Rubeus out the door.  
Rubeus led him through a maze of corridors that would have dizzied  
most people- but Saffir wasn't most people. His mind recorded his  
surroundings automatically, noting the dark passages that led off into the  
unknown. The occasional resentful glances Rubeus threw at the youngster did  
nothing to endear him to Saffir. It was the start of the rocky  
relationship that would sometimes shake Nemisian politics to their core.  
Finally, they reached a large door that had the Black Moon Family  
Crest on it entwined with a crown- the royal chambers of Nemesis. Saffir  
had seen this door before, but had known better then to enter. Even though  
this was, technically speaking, his family's rooms, he didn't doubt that his  
presence would be most unwelcome. Rubeus, though, forced the door open  
without a second thought.  
Saffir entered this unknown place with a sense of wonder. There  
were gems littering the room as thought thrown by as thoughtless hand, thick  
carpets that his slippered feet sunk into, luxurious tapestries that were  
frivolous displays of wealth... and more. Enough that Saffir was barely  
able to contain a wince. His parents were fond of such things?  
Rubeus seemed oblivious to Saffir's feelings of revulsion and  
stomped through the room to knock heavily on a door that bore a diamond, an  
eye, and the Black Moon all entwined together. "Saffir is here, as you  
commanded," Rubeus said in a more respectful tone then he had used towards  
Saffir.  
"Let him in," came a quiet voice.  
Rubeus opened the door and Saffir went in, preparing his senses for  
another assault of gaudiness. To his relief, he found the room almost as  
austere as he could have wished. Demando sat in a throne-like chair, calm  
radiating from him.  
Saffir wasn't exactly sure what to do. He bowed low and hoped  
Demando would be happy with that. To his surprise, a light chuckle escaped  
the Heir. "Don't bother, Saffir-chan," he said. "I get more then enough  
of that from the courtiers- my own brother shouldn't stand on ceremony."  
Saffir's smile nearly took in his ears. "Hai, oniisan," he said,  
relishing the feel of that word on his tongue.  
"Now, I must admit that I never really gave you and your...  
situation any particular thought. I always assumed... well, that servants  
had been taking care of you and that you would be reared in a manner  
suitable for a Prince of the Blood. Since running into you in the library,  
I have done some research, and I must admit I am appalled by the current  
situation. You have no servant?" he asked.  
Saffir shook his head. "Not for... almost two years now. Old  
Quartz was looking after me, but she died unexpectedly," he said. He  
remembered watching her cough up blood, seeing the old lady fight for each  
breath. It had not been a pleasant experience.  
"And you've had no schooling?" Demando asked.  
"Aside from what I've taught myself, no," Saffir answered.  
"Then how do you know how to read?" Demando asked. This question  
had been bothering the Heir since he had learned how neglected the child  
was.  
"I just figured it out on my own," Saffir answered.  
Demando grasped the arms of his chair tightly, his knuckles  
whitening under the strain. This boy was dangerous- too intelligent for his  
own good. What a brilliant, brilliant mind he must have, Demando thought.  
Now if I can channel it in the right direction, he'll have no cause to  
desire my throne. I would not like to have to kill him.  
Saffir was unaware of Demando's plotting. His eyes scanned the  
room during Demando's contemplative moment, final falling on a few books  
that he hadn't read. His fingers itched to touch them- they looked far  
more interesting then anything they had in the library.  
Demando looked at the sudden longing on the boy's face and realized  
that this child was a prodigy, an academic whose potential could be sculpted  
into a tool for Demando's usage. "I think I'm going to see about arranging  
for a tutor for you, child."  
Rather then the instantaneous acceptance and gratitude he had been  
expecting, Saffir bristled slightly. "I'm doing very well on my own,  
oniisan," he said somewhat arrogantly.  
Most other people would get swatted back down for speaking that way  
to the Heir, but Demando only smiled slightly. It seems he has a trace of  
that stubbornness so prevalent in our family, he thought with amused  
acceptance. I had better encourage him to be strong, so no one else can  
turn him against me. "Yes, you are. But you have no one to guide you in  
your studies. You will need that guidance if you are to become one of my  
advisors," Demando said.  
Saffir's eyes widened. "Your advisors?" he said. "Me?"  
"Yes, ototochan," Demando said.  
"But I'm only eight!" the boy protested.  
"And I'm barely fifteen," Demando confided. "It will be a long  
time before I ascend the throne. Before that, though, I wish to gather  
loyal followers around me to form my cabinet. That's why Esmeraude and  
Rubeus are around me so much. And I can't think of anyone else that I would  
more desire to have beside me then my brother," Demando said smoothly. I'd  
rather have him beside me then behind me with a knife.  
It was then that Saffir fell completely, hopelessly, irrevocably in  
love with his older brother. For the first time, it seemed that someone  
actually wanted to have him around. The empty child was gone- now he had a  
purpose, a purpose fueled by the love that burned so intensely inside of  
him.  
"I'll do my best, Demando-sama!" he exclaimed. "I won't  
disappoint you!"  
"I'm sure you won't."  
Demando smiled as the boy was escorted out of the room, feeling the  
beginnings of regret. For some reason, manipulating the boy like that was  
enough to make him feel lower then a snake. He quickly squashed that  
sentiment down- sentiments had no place in the Heir of the Black Moon  
Family.  
Saffir quickly proved to be more intelligent then anyone could have  
guessed. In a year, under the guidance of a skilled tutor, he was asking  
questions about alchemy and physics his teacher was hard-pressed to answer.  
His mathematical skills were almost as good, yet Saffir showed a disdain for  
magic and its uses. When his sensei asked him why, Saffir had replied that  
it was simply impractical- why expended large amounts of energy to teleport  
when walking was exponentially more energy efficient? If he would have had  
his way, he would have ignored the Magick Arts completely, but Demando had  
insisted.  
Originally, Demando had managed to meet with the boy once a week,  
sometimes just dropping in on his lessons. He did so to make sure that  
Saffir knew where his loyalty lay, but as time wore on, he came more  
frequently. There was something about the soft adoration in Saffir's eyes,  
the knowledge that this boy truly loved him above and beyond anything else.  
No one (aside from Esmeraude, but Demando just wasn't interested) ever just  
wanted Demando for nothing aside from himself.  
Sometime during Saffir's ninth year, Demando summoned him to his  
study rather unexpectedly. A groggy-eyed Saffir walked into the room, his  
clothes loose on his young body. "Whaddya want, oniisan?"  
Demando resisted the urge to smile. Saffir usually was so formal  
that his slurred speech was rare and amusing. Saffir seemed to think he  
could make up for his lack of years by being painfully proper. "I wanted to  
see if you would join me for a morning stroll," Demando said lightly.  
Saffir nodded eagerly. "Hai!" he said eagerly, ready to grasp any  
opportunity to spend time with his big brother.  
The two brothers quickly went through the hallways, Saffir  
following in Demando's shadow, his silent presence somehow very reassuring  
to the teenager. Their soft shoes slid across the dark floors, not a sound  
coming from either of them. Saffir didn't bother asking Demando where they  
were going- it really didn't matter. It was enough to simply be with  
Demando.  
Demando led the way to one of the doors that opened outside. "I  
feel like seeing the world beyond our Palace today," he said in his soft,  
yet compelling, voice.  
Saffir pulled a face, revolted by the very thought. "Why?" he  
asked.  
Demando reached down and tousled the younger boy's hair  
affectionately. His expression grew far away, as though he was seeing  
something Saffir couldn't perceive. "It reminds me what my goals are," he  
said to his brother in a low voice. "Let us stroll for a while... I will  
tell you of my plans."  
Together they walked out of the door into the dark day of Nemesis.  
"Day" and "night" were terms that held little meaning on this world, but its  
inhabitants had stubbornly clung onto the old standards of their homeworld.  
Exiled though they were, they were Terrans. They refused to give up  
anything they didn't have to- it would only be a triumph for the Neo-Queen  
and her heathen Senshi.  
The air was cool on Saffir's pale cheeks, and he resisted the urge  
to shudder. Dark, black... little life. Soon the pair was beyond the  
protective walls of the Palace, and Saffir surveyed the foreboding landscape  
with loathing. The few animals (or what passed as "animals") that were  
around slunk back into the darkness before the young prodigy was able to get  
a good look at them. There was nothing but bleakness....  
A flash of color caught his eye. Rushing forward, confident that  
Demando would protect him should anyone attack, he bent down and looked at a  
clump of plant life. "Oniisan! Oniisan! What are these?" he asked. He  
carefully touched one, surprised that such beauty existed on Nemesis.  
Demando smiled down at his younger brother, a crack appearing in  
the icy facade he presented everyone else. "They're called flowers. Smell  
them-- they have a pleasant fragrance."  
Saffir did as he was told. The scent was heady and he sighed in  
pleasure. "Very beautiful," he murmured.  
Demando knelt down beside his younger brother. "These are the only  
flower that can survive on Nemesis. On Earth, though, there are fields of  
them."  
"I wish I could see them," Saffir said wistfully. He had  
unknowingly taken the first step towards the bitterness that marked a  
Nemisian- the longing for Earth.  
Demando raised the boy's chin with strong fingers so he could look  
him straight in his eyes. "Someday, ototochan, you will," Demando said.  
"But I thought we weren't allowed on Earth. Are you going to sign  
a treaty with the Neo Queen when you become Prince?" Saffir asked.  
"No. I would never betray our people in such a matter. What I  
plan is..." He shut his eyes, purpose etched on his face, "what I plan is  
to conquer Earth for the Black Moon Family."  
"What!?" Saffir gasped.  
"It's been centuries since we were banished to this wasteland," the  
Heir said. "Since then, our people have grown strong, stronger then anyone  
would have believed possible. This planet is barren, yet by living here, we  
have become stronger then any of us would have dreamt possible! Our magics  
will rival that of the Senshi themselves, and we will have a whole army of  
such powerful warriors! Earth will be reclaimed by her true masters- us."  
Saffir wasn't sure he agreed with the idea. "But many of our  
people will die," he said softly.  
Demando normally would have royally flayed anyone who dared  
question his judgment, but this was his younger sibling. "Sometimes,  
Saffir, those losses are acceptable. If you grow up and have children,  
would you want them to live in such a dark place?" he asked, waving an  
emphatic hand around their dark surroundings.  
Saffir cringed. He himself had no plans on ever having children,  
but he could see Demando's point. "People will die in the hope for the  
future generations."  
Demando nodded. "And it's up to us, as their leaders, to make sure  
that as few of them die as possible- it would be senseless for them to waste  
their lives needlessly."  
"Why are you telling me all this, oniisan? You won't be able to  
act until you are Prince-- and that won't be for a very long time," Saffir  
stated.  
"Because, Saffir, I need you to do something for me."  
The boy smiled eagerly. "Anything!" he declared hurriedly.  
Demando's hand tightened slightly. "No, child, listen to me  
first. What I need you to do is prepare yourself for this upcoming battle.  
I need you to become a tactician- that means studying like you never have  
before. It means giving up much of your spare time- you will have to learn  
many things, many of them tedious and boring."  
"Why me?" Saffir asked, surprised.  
"I trust you. You're brilliant, as I'm sure everyone has told  
you, but it's more then that. You have the gift of creativity- if I give  
you a problem, you will solve it without complaint. That is what I need-  
and you're young enough to train yourself into that role."  
Decision time. Saffir shut his eyes, trying to understand why  
Demando was so serious. Could being a tactician really be so terrible? "It  
would be an honor to serve you, oniisan," he said. It seemed that that  
advisor position Demando had once mentioned would actually become a reality.  
Demando smiled. "I swear this to you, Saffir-chan," he said. "If  
you do your very best for me, then I will give you fields of flowers when we  
conquer Earth."  
Saffir's smile was more brilliant then the sun that never shone on  
Nemesis. "Hai!" he exclaimed eagerly.  
***  
"Virgo is fantasy in nature. Existing in a world of their own, Virgos seem  
to invent and re-invent reality as they wish it to be."  
***  
Twelve year old Saffir looked up from the book he was studying as  
his cousin Esmeraude entered the room. Esmeraude wasn't once of his  
favorite people, but he looked up at her and smiled pleasantly enough.  
"Having more problems with Calculus?" he asked sweetly.  
She glowered at him in the way only she was capable of, but then  
her expression softened slightly. "Saffir-chan, you are needed. Prince  
Demando has summoned you."  
His eyes fluttered as he still the instinctive confusion. Prince?  
Since when? he wondered. "Then Prince Onyx is dead?" he asked.  
She nodded. "If you had left this room sometime in the last year,  
you would have heard of Prince Onyx-sama's illness," she answered  
scathingly.  
Saffir let her insult roll off of him like it was made of water.  
It was true he seldom left his study, but then, he had little cause to. He  
was on a quest for knowledge, and there were few who he could share that  
with. Even though Esmeraude was almost seven years older then him, Saffir  
had already far outdistanced her in anything involving academics.  
Esmeraude possessed a native cunning that almost made up for that, but her  
vanity wouldn't let her admit she was jealous that this child had something  
she didn't- Demando's love. "Very well, then," Saffir said. He rose to  
his feet, indicating that she should leave. "I assume he'll be in his  
court?" he asked rhetorically, even though the court hadn't been Demando's  
until an hour ago.  
Esmeraude fumed as he turned away to gather something from his many  
drawers of knickknacks. "Don't turn your back on me, Saffir-kun! I am NOT  
a mere messenger!" she spat.  
Saffir looked at her pityingly. She acted flamboyant and self-assured  
(this was, he reminded himself, the self-proclaimed most beautiful woman in  
the galaxy), but he recognized the fact that she was desperately in love  
with his older brother. This was, in his opinion, the only redeeming thing  
about her... mentally. "Maybe you should turn your back on me,  
Esmeraude-chan," he replied, a thin smile on his face. "I need to prepare,  
and unless your tastes run to young boys, I suggest you leave," he said.  
Her mouth opened slowly as she tried to articulate her feelings of  
rage, but Saffir used her distraction to gently shove her to the door.  
Clicking the lock close (something she could easily get around if she had  
the wit to magic it), he pulled out a blue outfit.  
Sliding into his navy-blue clothes, he wondered if he should feel  
sorry that his father was dead. With his excellent memory, it wasn't hard  
to summon an image of Onyx- black hair, flat black eyes, skin that rivaled  
Demando's for whiteness. Shaking his head, he banished the memory from  
his thoughts- he could count the times he'd ever seen Onyx on both hands  
with fingers to spare. Onyx might have been his sire, but he wasn't his  
father.  
The crystals on his shirt gleamed brightly, and Saffir glimpsed  
into a mirror. His body was starting to stretch out and he could see  
images of the man he would one day become, but he still wasn't an adult.  
He recognized that he was just beginning to enter adolescence, and the  
thought terrified him. His body was beginning to do things he had no  
control over. The dreams he'd been having in the last few months were  
embarrassing, and if Esmeraude ever found out, he was positive his superior  
intellect would be little defense against her rage.  
His eyes were sparkling sapphires as he stared deeply into the  
mirror, tugging on his unruly hair. There was one lock that seemed  
determined to do what it wanted to, and he had given up the battle long ago.  
Still, he looked respectable enough and he probably wouldn't embarrass  
Demando too terribly. It was horrible to have a fully developed mind in a  
child's body.  
He slid through the hallways meekly, trying not to draw attention  
to himself. Unlike Demando, who was able to draw attention by merely  
breathing, Saffir had to make a conscience effort to be noticed. He was  
learning to be grateful, especially at times like this. The palace was in  
an uproar... the Prince was dead, and now there was a new ruler... and  
whenever someone new inherited the throne, it was almost inevitable that  
there would be uprising. Saffir had every confidence in his oniisan, but  
some of their citizens obviously didn't.  
It was simple enough to slip through the crowds to the take a place  
on the edge of the court. He looked up at where Demando was standing,  
telepathically sending out a greeting and a burst of adoration. Demando's  
face was blank, yet Saffir could feel his inner tension extend towards his  
oniichan. Demando raised one of his elegant hands and the court stilled,  
waiting with baited breath for what the Heir would do.  
"Prince Onyx-sama has died. As his heir, I now assume the  
Pellucid Throne," Demando stated. He moved to sit upon the marble throne,  
yet was stopped by a shout from the crowd.  
"You are not his only heir! The people have the right to choose!"  
a voice called with safe anonymity.  
Demando's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Saffir's mind caught his  
determination. The boy, though, felt a chill run through him. Someone was  
actually putting him forth as Heir? he wondered incredulously. Why would  
they want to do that?  
The answer came almost as quickly as the question had. I'm still  
young. They probably want a puppet prince, he thought cynically. Too bad  
I'm not going to let that happen, he thought viciously.  
"I was Heir, now I am Prince," Demando retorted angrily. "No one  
will challenge me for the throne.."  
"Bring Saffir, son of Onyx, forth and let him speak!" a voice  
called from the other side of the Court.  
Saffir was growing increasingly uncomfortably as the crowd started  
to shift, searching for him. Esmeraude and Rubeus flanked Demando.  
Esmeraude looked over her fan, scornfully surveying the crowd, though Saffir  
could tell she was nervous from the way she was tossing her hair every three  
seconds. She only did that when she was worried or trying to flirt with  
Demando. Rubeus stood with his arms crossed over his chest, staring  
forward with a sneer on his handsome face. Saffir could see the tension  
etched into his stance, and realized that if he survived this, it would be  
wise to avoid the flame-haired advisor for a while.  
Facing the unavoidable, Saffir sidled to the front of the room, for  
once taking center stage. He could feel the eyes on his back, and hated  
it. He wished that Demando-sama could get him out of this one, yet this  
was something he would have to do. "You summoned me, Prince Demando-sama?"  
he asked bowing briefly, acting as though he had just arrived there.  
There was a gasp from the crowd. No one could be called Prince  
unless they had taken the Pellucid Throne, and for Saffir to call his  
brother that was more then gauche. It was almost treason to the minimal  
laws that tied their society together.  
Demando ignored this. "Yes, Saffir-san," he said, addressing him  
with the honorific for the first time. "There appears to be some confusion  
as to the rights of inheritance, and I was hoping you could sort it out for  
me," he said gently.  
Saffir nodded. "The rights? You mean how the Heir is chosen and  
assumes the throne? Since Prince Onyx-sama's reign lasted two hundred  
years, I can see how most normal people might not remember the exact law,"  
he said with just the right amount of derision lacing his words. He turned  
around and faced the crowd, staring right out in the middle of them, yet not  
really seeing any of them. "From the Laws of State, Book Three, Section  
Sixteen: The Pellucid Throne shall pass through the paternal line upon the  
death of the reigning Prince. The Heir is the oldest male child of the  
Prince. In the event that the Prince has no male relatives, the Throne  
shall first be offered to his brother, then any nephews... the line shall be  
traced until a suitable Heir is found. If there is any doubt over who is  
the Heir, the people of Nemesis have the right to question the assumption of  
the Throne. However, once the Throne has been claimed, the Prince shall  
retain it until the end of his life," Saffir recited from memory.  
Silence met his little demonstration of his talented memory.  
Demando nodded gravely. "My thanks, Saffir-san," he said. "It appears  
that there should be no question as to who inherits."  
"Indeed, oniisan," Saffir said, prompted by Demando's telepathic nudge.  
"Besides, I'm the only other possibility, and I fully support your reign,"  
he said, trying to muddle through this political gibberish to the best of  
his abilities.  
"I'm glad to hear that, Saffir-san," he said. "I am Prince,"  
Demando pronounced. He sat back into the throne, sitting there as though he  
was used to the experience. The Throne started to glow, every shade known  
to human-kind (and some that weren't) shooting forth as it welcomed its new  
occupant. Magic ties wrapped tightly around Demando, and it was difficult  
for Demando to keep his face from displaying the ecstasy the new power was  
forcing into him. The throng let out a half-hearted cheer, and Demando  
realized he would have to establish his authority quickly, or be overthrown.  
He looked over at Rubeus and Esmeraude, who took positions behind  
his throne. Though Onyx had been ill for a while, no one had expected him  
to die so young. He had barely entered his second century of rule, and  
should have live to see at least another four, giving Demando time to  
prepare for the assumption of the Pellucid Throne. Now he the Throne was  
his, yet he had few political alliances to hold it with.  
Saffir managed to blend back into the crowd, yet his usually  
striking eyes were dark with concern. Young as he was, he recognized how  
tenuous Demando's position had become.  
"Let my reign commence with three days of festivities- let there be  
music, games and dancing!" he pronounced, using ancient tradition. "On the  
eve of the fourth day, my council shall be called!"  
***  
"Virgos are usually observant, shrewd, critical, and patient. Supporters of  
the 'status quo', and conservative in all areas of life."  
***  
Demando paced up and down rapidly, making Saffir dizzy just looking  
at him. Rubeus and Esmeraude were perched on chairs like birds ready to  
take flight, while Saffir sat with unnatural stillness, the needs of his  
body forgotten as his superior intellect turned the problem over and over in  
his mind.  
It was a strange council. The new ruler, two inexperienced  
youngsters, and a boy. Together, though, they held more power then any  
other faction on Nemesis, as they currently controlled the Throne. With  
the throne, came a vast amount of power that had been imbued over the ages  
by each of Nemesis' previous rulers. Demando had tied himself to it, and  
there was no way to part him from it except death, and that would mean his  
powers would then join the rest of his ancestors in strengthening the  
Pellucid Throne. Any usurper would find it extremely unpleasant to sit upon  
it. Saffir remembered reading of Diamonda, and the less that was said  
about that little incident, the better. But some would brave it, especially  
with Demando this new to power.  
"Well?" he asked finally, looking at his most trusted confidants.  
He spun around, the rich purple cloak swirling with wonderful flare, causing  
Esmeraude's eyes to light up. Rubeus just sat sulkingly, while Saffir just  
stared blankly at his brother.  
"We retain the Throne for you, of course, Demando-sama," Esmeraude  
said purring, batting her amazingly long eyelashes in unison with the  
fluttering of her fan.  
He, as always, seemed impervious to her attempts at flirtation.  
"That is a given. The question is how?" His fingers idly touched the gem  
he wore at his throat, the gem that bound him to the Throne. "I should have  
had more time," he said bitterly. "Onyx wasn't suppose to die so young.  
This makes things more complicated- I have almost no political alliances."  
His reaction was typical of any Namibian citizen- not concern over the loss  
of a relative, but rather the awkward position he had been placed in.  
because of the loss.  
"But we're stuck with things as they are," Esmeraude said. "Now we  
have to make the best of the situation."  
Demando frowned and sat down on the edge of his desk. "I have to  
get the people to love me as well as fear me," he said. "How?"  
"Give them what they want," Rubeus said.  
"But what do they want?" Demando asked.  
The room was silent as they all digested that question. The answer  
was painfully obvious. "Earth," Esmeraude whispered, almost dropping her  
fan. "We want the Earth back."  
Demando nodded grimly. "I have long cherished the hope of  
re-taking the blue planet. I hadn't planned on implementing my plans so  
soon, but this is the only method I can think of to ensure no one attempts a  
coup."  
Saffir raised his head and spoke for the first time. "There is a  
quote that applies well here. 'What this country needs is a short,  
victorious war to stem the tide of revolution.'"  
"I like that one, Saffir-kun," Demando said with a thin smile lingering  
on his lips. "Is it possible?"  
Saffir shut his eyes, calculating events as rapidly as he could. "Terra  
is strong, but it had been at peace for centuries- aside from the Senshi,  
they have no real warriors. We are a more savage people who will  
understand the realities of war more quickly. Each one of our citizens is  
worth ten of the common soldiers of the pacifistic Earth. While the Senshi  
are neatly immortal, they are not invulnerable. With proper dedication,  
they can be destroyed. The Neo King and his consort control the world and  
are almost omnipotent, yet even they will fall in the end."  
"How long, Saffir-kun?" Demando asked.  
"Ten years. Almost nothing when one considers the life span we  
live."  
The group was silent. "So that's it?" Rubeus asked. "We're  
finally going to reclaim Earth?"  
Demando smiled in his own enigmatic way. "Hai, Rubeus. As of  
this moment, Nemesis is at war."  
  
END PART THREE  
  
  



	4. Regrets

Part Four: Regrets   
-or-   
The Calm Before the Storm

***   
ANIMALS RULED BY VIRGO: Small domestic pets.   
*** 

The Senshi all looked at one another when Saffir paused in his tale. He had spoken in a quiet voice that never seemed to be overwhelmed, not even when Usagi (on her way to the kitchen to return the plates she had used) had crashed into the floor. Saffir hadn't paid the least bit of attention to her as she had hurriedly collected herself, aside from casting her a cold glare at her as she noisily resettled herself.   
Their original feelings of apprehension had turned into fascinated revulsion as Saffir-san had woven his tale. His quiet, matter-of-fact voice had managed to convince them that there were many things he was leaving out of his account, things that would probably turn their stomachs. The idea of not being able to trust anyone was against the very nature of the Senshi.   
Saffir stopped speaking around seven o'clock, just when the sun had set finally. The glowing Black Crystal pulsed outside the window, and he rose to his feet awkwardly, a painful sight for the Senshi to watch. The way he had gestured occasionally to emphasize a point had bespoken of inherent grace, and to see someone so gifted humbled was terrible to behold.   
He looked at over at the city, his long eyelashes shading the beautiful blue of his eyes. The Senshi were motionless, sensing his need for this respite. "The power of the Crystal is growing... by cycling what energy had already been collected, the Wiseman managed to bypass the need for the Crystal Key Card... something I would have thought impossible."   
"You didn't really think that, Saffir-san," a voice inserted quietly. He spun around and looked at his benefactor with narrowed eyes. Ami continued, "You know as well as I do that anything is possible."   
Rather then explode as the Senshi had been expecting, he looked rather thoughtful, then smirked bitterly. "You're right," he confessed. "I knew how to do such a thing- I just didn't think anyone else would be intelligent enough to figure it." He clenched his hand. "My ego wouldn't consider the fact that someone else could be as brilliant as I am. I underestimated him"   
He looked back out over the city, unaware that his body was framed by the Dark Crystal, creating a frightening, though beautiful, image for the Senshi to observe. "And it seems as though my sacrifice was for nothing... I gave up the most important person in my life to protect him, yet it was useless. Better to die a death still loved then to die alone."   
Ami stood up and walked up to him, gently turning him to face her. "Saffir-san," she said softly, and the blue eyes met her own. Unlike before, all conflict had left them. The rest of the Senshi looked on, feeling as though they were watching something intimate. Only Usagi truly understood what was going on, and her heart reached out towards Ami-chan. "You must never give up- the Wiseman hasn't won yet. Then her shy smiled appeared. "And we won't let him," she vowed.   
Saffir's face flickered, but there appeared to be the faint dawning of hope. "I want to get my brother back, and ensure the Wiseman can do no more damage," he said. "I have been trying to come up with a plan, but there is nothing I can think of that is feasible."   
"Then we'll just wing it," Minako inserted.   
Saffir's eyes widened in horror. The very idea of just "winging" something was contrary to his nature- he was methodical, one of the world's greatest planners. Even though he might appear spontaneous at times, that was only because he had such a quick mind and had been able to examine whatever situation he had been in. "Winging it" meant loss of control, and for him, there was no more horrible feeling then that of "free-fall". "I... " he began.   
Mars, however, had had quite enough. She was frightened, angry and confused, and as anyone knew her at all could attest, this made her cranky. She leapt to her feet. "You're speaking as though we agreed to help him, Venus! He said he would tell us about the Wiseman, and all he's done is tell us of his childhood! And Esmeraude and Rubeus sounded like they always did- truly twisted!"   
Jupiter and Venus looked at the temperamental Mars, not sure was to say. Sailor Moon just sat, looking rather pathetic. Her eyes were wide and frightened, and she seemed curled in on herself- she hated to see anyone fight, and Saffir's burning eyes seemed infuriated. She didn't want to think of the damage he could do in his weakened form. Luna, though, intervened to keep peace.   
"You should wait for the rest of his story- he must have a point in telling it," she said in her usual rational way.   
"He'd better," a male voice was heard to mutter from Venus' lap.   
Saffir, by this time, was ready to walk out, and would have if Ami had been looking at him in such an imploring manner. "You don't understand!" he said, his voice hard, though there was a touch of desperation in it as well.   
"Make us understand," Ami begged.   
He looked over at them, turning his back on them so he could face out towards the Black Crystal again. He didn't seemed concerned that Mars could throw a Burning Mandala at his back before he could even detect it coming. "We were so unhappy," he said. "Do you know what it's like to live a life in eternal darkness? There's no sun, and the sun brings so much joy- there's so few plants and flowers... do you know how much I wanted to just take a walk through a field of flowers? I would take a picnic and a book, and just sit in a field of flowers...." he trailed off, aware that he had started to ramble. "Esmeraude was beautiful in her own way- she loved Demando-sama with a devouring passion, and it killed her in the end. Rubeus was loyal, and that loyalty led him to a futile kamikaze mission. Before the jakokuzuishou, before the Wiseman, we were complex. The Wiseman seemed to exploit our flaws, turn us into caricatures of our former selves. We're not evil- we're merely envious."   
This took a moment for the Senshi to digest. Rei had fallen back into her chair, and now her face was flushed with embarrassment and shame. "I'm sorry, Saffir-san," Rei said. "Like usual, I spoke without thinking things through."   
He replied with a careless shrug. "I need your help to get Demando-sama back. I don't have any other options, so you can think what you like of me."   
His rather indifferent reply to her temper only served to make Rei feel worse. She was undeniable the most temperamental of the Senshi, and sometimes her temper put her in an unenviable position- like now. Beneath all of her anger, she had a heart to rival Usagi's at times. She looked at the other Senshi, trying to find the words to make things right again.   
"Anyone who loves someone as much as you love Demando is worth helping," Usagi said firmly.   
Saffir slanted her a look that made her blood run cold. "Don't be too sure of that," he said. "Love can be the most dangerous weapon of all, Sailor Moon." 

***   
"Hypercriticism is a big evil of the Virgo.."   
*** 

She sat, her there-but-not-there dress sparkling in the darkness. Her legs were long and tempting, and most men would go through torture to be able to have the chance to worship at her feet. The White Prince, though, was different.   
He stole the occasional look at her wickedly attractive face, yet Black Lady knew that she wasn't the one he was seeing. His lavender eyes were searching her features only for traces of another woman who she resembled uncannily. It was true that the Neo-Queen was her mother, but that was all. Every bit of her demeanor was different. Both woman were graceful, but Black Lady's beauty was that of a prowling panther, while the Neo-Queen's was that of the moonlight from which she received her powers.   
Still, she shot him the occasional glance herself, admiring his pale features. He was beautiful, a white statue to what male beauty could be. His very fairness served to make him look pure, but Black Lady knew that was as far from the truth as possible. Still, something about him called to her, and she almost regretted the fact that the Wiseman would soon be destroying him.   
She walked over to the chair, her hips swaying with unconsciously provocatively. She sat down on the arm rest of the throne, a manicured hand touching Demando's shoulder gently. She smiled at him, her red eyes sparkling with cruel merriment.   
He looked up at her, his bangs falling away from the Mark of the Black Moon. A puzzled frown traced itself on his features. "What is it, Black Lady?" he asked.   
"I was merely thinking how much quieter it's been here lately," she said, deliberately poking into his weakest point. His most loyal servants had been falling like flies, and now only she and Wiseman remained, and Demando didn't trust either of them. She was the Wiseman's creature -not Demando's- and they both knew it.   
His eyes flashed. He kept seeing Saffir in front of him, begging him to listen Oh, ototochan... why did you betray me? And now to ally yourself with the Senshi...   
He remembered watching the Senshi battle, and he had watched from afar as Sailor Jupiter had carried his brother off. Demando had regretted his words almost as soon as he had spoken them, but words were something that could never be taken back. So now Demando was alone for the first time in his reign, and he didn't like the feeling.   
He rose to his feet, shrugging Black Lady's hand off of him. Her eyes widened as he teleported away, a flash of light blinding her for the second. She could have followed him, but decided not to. She slid over until she was sitting firmly in the Pellucid Throne, feeling the energy pulse through it. The very act of "borrowing" the throne would kill most, but Black Lady was oblivious to the near-catastrophe. It was intimate in a way. She could feel the power of the previous rulers of Nemesis throb in unison with Demando's aura. Through the throne, she felt Demando's despair.   
His despair was deep and unchangeable as the moon itself. The people of the Black Moon were terribly depressed, and probably were so use to it now that they didn't even consider it anymore. Still, in their Prince the despair had started to surface.   
For a second she thought of it, then discarded the matter as unworthy of her attention. She had more important things to consider. From her own space, she produced the rose Tuxedo Kamen had given her and proceeded to contemplate it.   
Meanwhile, Demando had materialized back in his study, his safe haven. He looked around it with almost a feeling of regret. Off to the side of his desk was the chair that Rubeus had often sat in, a threatening presence of barely controlled fury. The contrast between the General and the Prince had shaken many Nemesian citizens. In the corner was a floor that was scuffed from the heels of Esmeraude's boots. By shutting his eyes, he could see the two of them there, and almost hear Esmeraude's cackle. Strange thing was, he missed it.   
And if Rubeus was there, that meant Saffir was there as well. He remembered their arguments, and how Rubeus was always forced to threaten violence. Saffir had always managed to get the better of the older man, leaving a furious Rubeus there. Demando had never stopped it, for the two cousins seemed to thrive and get a perverse pleasure from being at one another's throats.   
He glanced over at the opposite corner, the one where the most shadows had lingered. It had been Saffir's spot, and Demando could picture Saffir there, a quiet presence who would occasional insert his own insightful observations. Saffir had seemed to melt into obscurity better then anyone Demando had ever known, yet Demando himself had always been able to feel his ototochan without fail. Saffir had drawn all of his warmth from the occasional look Demando would should him, and Demando had been well-repaid for his decision not to hire an assassin when he first became aware of how brilliant Saffir was.   
Demando doubted Saffir knew how close he had come to being killed. The first day after Saffir's lesson with his first tutor had almost sealed it. The boy had been brilliant- as brilliant as Einstein or Newton or any of the greatest thinkers humanity had known. Demando had thought it would be prudent to remove Saffir before he could aspire to replace him as Heir, had actually begun to pen a letter to a poisoner (no need to be cruel when a simple potion would give the guileless child a gentle death) yet something had stopped him. Perhaps it had been the memory of the look in Saffir's eyes at one point during their second meeting.   
So Saffir had been allowed to live, and up until now Demando had never regretted that fact- in fact, had often been grateful for his restraint on that day. Now he was forced to wonder if he had made a mistake.   
He could almost hear Rubeus' voice laugh and affirm his doubt. Esmeraude, though, would have been more practical, even though she detested "the little bookworm". "My friends," Demando said, his voice cool as ever, "how did we ever come to this state?" he asked to the empty room. "Where did things begin to go wrong?"   
On his desk was a small globe that contained a three-dimensional image of Neo-Queen Serenity. Her eyes were shut and she was clutching her hands against her chest, but Demando could stare at it for hours. He had memorized every detail of her face, imagined her sweet body in his arms, and foresaw the day when she would open her beautiful blue eyes and focus on him adoringly. The Neo King would be left, alone and bereft, watching as his Queen left.   
Demando picked up the globe and stared at it, but unlike the past, her image brought him no peace. There was no answer in her face, and he wondered what had changed.   
Without his loyal trio, he felt as though he was without any support, and strong as he was, he was afraid.   
He set his beloved's picture down and decided that he simply had to leave- staying in this room would drive him crazy. There were too many memories all jumbled up together. He need those memories, but he needed to be able to sort through them, rather than be bombarded by them.   
He left the room, his white cape swirling behind him like a banner that said "surrender", and in a way, that was what he was going to do. He was going to let his insecurities out, even if it was only for a second.   
Normally he would have teleported, for he detested walking. This, though, was an exception to his normal rules. His sojourn wasn't truly for him, and teleporting would have been disrespectful. He wove through the palace, following the seemingly endless maze of passages. His study was almost at the top of the palace (only the throne room itself occupied a higher place), and the place he was going was in the very depths. The Halls of the Dead.   
He finally reached the final door, after traveling over a mile. Few realized how immense the palace truly was. Even he sometimes forgot. Few knew all the rooms, and even fewer remember this room, deep in the bowels. Nemesis was a crude world based on survival, and the dead were just that- dead and gone, and it served no purpose to remember them.   
Demando pushed the door open, and walked into the pitch-black room. He summoned an orb of pinkish-white energy and set it down on top of a pedestal that was designed to hold magical light.   
The room was a design of amazing intricacy, the only place in the Palace, possibly on the whole of Nemesis, that encourage someone to look up. The immense archways were stacked upon each other, leading the eye upwards, possibly to the heavens, if any Nemesian still believed in such a place. The colors of the windows were cheerful and promising, depicting scenes of the better times on Earth, which contrasted in a fascinating way with the deep onyx of the walls.   
Around the room were hundreds of statues, each of them almost lifelike in their poses. Underneath them were the white marble caskets themselves, some of the empty. The caskets were labeled with dark plaques etched with platinum, each stating whom the statue was, if the body lay there, and when the person had died. Only the Royal family and their cousins were allowed to rest in state.   
The magic light danced over the gothic room, and Demando looked around, his eyes falling on two of the most recent plagues. This was the place where the royal family was buried, and he couldn't remember the last time anyone had been in there aside from placing a new casualty in their place, save one time recently. He walked over to the second most recent statue and look up at the carving of Rubeus. The plaque was simple: 

Rubeus, First Cousin of His Highness, Prince Demando, the White Prince of Nemesis   
First General of the Army of Nemesis, Battle for Terra   
Died in the past, aged thirty-one   
Foe of the Sailor Senshi   
Body is not present 

Demando reached out and touched it with a soft sigh. He remembered the last time he had visit the Halls of the Dead sadly.   
Of all his citizens, Saffir had been the only one he had ever seen down here. It had been the day after he had sent Esmeraude into the past. He had walked into the room, expecting solitude, but had been met by the sight of his little brother sitting on the floor, contemplating the statue.   
"Konnichi wa, oniisan," Saffir said without looking up. It had always been like that- Saffir somehow knew where Demando was at all times.   
"Saffir-kun," Demando said, kneeling down beside him. "What are you doing here?"   
Saffir looked up at him with empty eyes. "Rubeus is dead," he said in his quiet voice, the usual bitterness missing.   
"Hai. In war death happens," Demando answered, confused. Saffir and Rubeus had detested each other, and he couldn't understand the younger man's seeming concern over the fate of one of his enemies.   
"But what was the point? There was no gain in losing him," Saffir answered.   
Resting his hand on his hand on his brother's shoulder, Demando looked up at the statue. "Perhaps there was more gain then we thought. With his expeditions into the past, we may have started to learn enough to tip the balance of power into our hands, which may ultimately win Crystal Tokyo!" he exclaimed, his voice lifting in excitement.   
"Win the Neo Queen, you mean," Saffir stated without rancor.   
Demando's hand tightened, and Saffir winced at the sudden influx of pain. "What do you mean by that?" Demando asked intensely. If anyone else had said that, Demando would have had them executed for treason, but Saffir was his brother, so Demando would tolerate a little impudence... but not much.   
Saffir tilted his head up and look at his brother, their faces barely six inches apart. "Don't lie to me or yourself, oniisan. This war isn't about Terra anymore. We've conquered around 99.99 percent of the planet. We have enough to give our people a good life, but you want more. You want Serenity as your Queen."   
Demando restrained the urge to throw Saffir into the wall. Saffir was right, blast it. Saffir was always right.   
Saffir knew Demando better then Demando knew himself. The Blue Prince reached out and caught placed his hand on top of Demando's. "Don't worry, though. We'll do it. As long as there is breath in my body, I'll be here for you."   
Demando slipped out of his flashback. Less then a few weeks later, Saffir had betrayed him. He touched Rubeus' statue and walked onto the one he hadn't seen yet- Esmeraude.   
He had been avoiding this. Esmeraude had been the most vital of them, her gestures and mannerisms simply brimming with life. He remember how she was never able to stay still for longer then thirty seconds, her coy glances and wicked laugh meant to entice any male who came within sight of her. And it had worked- on every man except the one she had truly wanted.   
Demando knew that she loved him, had loved him since she had been thirteen. She hadn't made any secret of it, but Demando had never been attracted to her in the same way. It was as though she hadn't been able to touch his diamond-hard heart- only Saffir had been able to reach the outer levels, and then the Neo-Queen had claimed him completely.   
He finally reached the place, and looked up at her image with a sense of dread, a feeling that was borne out. The marble image capture her posture and the tilt in her head perfectly, but it wasn't her. Without the soft brown eyes and long emerald tresses, it was a statue. Nothing more.   
He looked down and read her plaque. 

Esmeraude, Second Cousin of His Highness, Prince Demando, the White Prince of Nemesis   
First General of the Army of Nemesis, Battle for Terra   
Died battling the Senshi, aged twenty-nine   
Foe of the Sailor Senshi   
Body is not present 

The plaque was almost identical to Rubeus' and that struck him as wrong. They had been as different as the Black Moon and the White. For them to be eulogized in the same manner was an insult to both of them.   
He reached out and ran his slender fingers over the inscription, and for the first time, it struck him that his two closest advisors were dead, and weren't coming back. And for that matter, Saffir was dead as well. Perhaps he should erect the statue of Saffir as he had been and not by what he had turned into.   
"What state have we come to, my friends?" Demando asked the statues, reiterating the same question he had asked the empty air. The statues, of course, held no answer.   
And then Demando, the White Prince of Nemesis, Ruler of the Pellucid Throne, and would-be conqueror of Earth, crumpled to his knees and sobbed like a broken-hearted child. 

***   
VIRGO: August 23 - September 22   
*** 

She should patent the move, Mamoru thought as his girlfriend threw herself around him. It was only through long practice that he adjusted his body to receive some of the impact without letting her knock him over. When they had first started to date, he had ended up on the ground more often then not, with Usagi sitting in his lap, looking up at him with guilty eyes. He loved her enthusiasm too much to chide her for it, though. It was so nice to have someone so thrilled to see him.   
He absorbed the impact of the Usagi-tackle-hug with apparent joy. Her arms were wrapped around him so tightly that he could hardly breath, but he smiled into her hair. Every time he saw her, he was always struck anew by how very *tiny* she was. This couldn't be the girl who saved the world, his intellect kept telling him, but his heart knew the truth.   
He pulled her into the apartment and locked the door, then proceeded to kiss her thoroughly. She responded with desperate vigor, as though trying to affirm that she was still alive. Finally she broke the kiss, leaving them both panting. She smiled up at him shyly, but Mamoru could see the worry reflected in her eyes. "Usako, what's wrong now?" he asked, stroking his hands over her slender back. Her skin was warm to the touch, and Mamoru realized that Tsukino Kenji would probably castrate him if he saw her them together like this.   
She sniffed a few more times, but finally let him persuade her to sit down on the couch- on his lap. Since they had gotten back together, tactile contact had meant even more then it had originally. It affirmed that the other was alive, and that they were there together, and being together was all the matter. Now only if a certain pink-haired child was there to share their joy. "We met over at Ami's and persuaded Saffir to tell us about himself," she began softly.   
It was all Mamoru could do to keep from letting the revulsion show on his face. He hated the Black Moon denizen with a passion that frightened him. He wished he could have been there, but he had college classes to contend with, and any college kid knew missing classes was the kiss of death to their GPA. And much as he hated it, sometimes he just couldn't be with Usagi. The outside world just wouldn't let them be. "What did he say?" he asked her, fearing her answer.   
"He didn't get to finish," Usagi hedged, "but I'm even more worried now then ever."   
"Why?"   
She raised a nail to her mouth and nibbled on it nervously, Mamoru, gently removed it with a reprimanding click of his teeth. "It's because I don't think we can understand each other. I thought... I thought that things would work out, that we could make peace with the Black Moon Family. But now I'm not so sure," she finished.   
It was like having a stake driven through his heart. Hearing his Usako lose some of her precious faith that things would always work out for the best was wrong. The whole damn mess was wrong. "Usako, we're not even sure that he's telling the truth. None of us have even seen this Wiseman creature before."   
The blonde shook her head, denying that possibility. "He's real. Calaveras gave me the complete run-down on him."   
A smile tugged at his lips. "And when did you find time to do that?"   
"I leftschoolgroundsduringlunch," she muttered guiltily, her eyes downcast like a guilty five year old.   
He chuckled, looking at her flushed face, then gathered her in a tight bear hug. "Poor Usako. Did you even have a chance to eat?"   
Usagi's eyes gleamed with that old hint of gluttony. "Not much. I did have something to snack on at Ami's, but I'm still hungry," she said sweetly.   
Mamoru's chuckles turned into full-fledged laughter. His grip on her loosened enough for her to squiggle out, and her giggles made a soft counterpoint to his deeper voice. It had been so long since they had just been together and laughed that they missed it. "We'll just have to get you something to eat, then, won't we?" Mamoru asked.   
"You don't have to," she said. She'd learned that subtle shyness would have Mamoru bent over backwards trying to please her. She was way too cute for her own good, and she knew it.   
Even though he knew very well he was being manipulated, he couldn't help but capitulate to her subtle prodding. "All right, Usako. I'll go make us dinner, but you have to keep me company."   
The smile that came out was like the sun finally coming through the clouds. He reached out and picked her up, and she squealed indignantly as he carried her over his shoulder towards the kitchen. He plopped her at the table, then turned to try to find something to eat.   
It had been a while since they had been together like this, just enjoying the other's presence. She laughed as he tossed together a stir-fry, the fresh food smelling beyond enticing. He looked adorable wearing an apron, and she vowed, for what must have been the millionth time, that she would learn how to cook. So far she'd been a disaster in the kitchen, but someday, she'd cook Mamoru a meal fit for the King he'd be someday.   
Together they devoured the meal, Mamoru claiming that his paper he had been researching had taken more out of him then he had realized. While stopping the destruction of the world was important, Mamoru firmly believed in balancing a "normal" life, too- there was no way he was going to be able to put "preventing Earth from being conquered by evil villains from the future," on his resume. Usagi, though, just asked him to tell her about his project. He smiled at her, and started to give her a basic lecture on vaccines, but the very mention of recombinant DNA technology, human therapeutic agents and yeast integrated plasmids made her eyes cross. Halfway through his explanation on clostridial fermentations, Mamoru just couldn't take it anymore. He burst out laughing. "You really don't get any of this, do you?" he teased lightly.   
Usagi's face fell, and he kicked himself mentally. Usagi wasn't the most brilliant of students, and he knew she felt insecure about her intelligence, especially when she compared herself to what she believed would be his ideal women. No matter how many time he reassured her that it was HER he wanted, she never really bought it. "I try, Mamo-chan, but I guess I'm just not smart enough for you," she said, and her eyes started to shine with unshed tears.   
Mamoru hated how he constantly had to reassure her. He wished he could make her believe that he loved her more then his own life, but he knew she had good reason to doubt him. He'd started off on the wrong foot by calling her "Odango Atama", then had told her that he was her enemy, then had managed to get brainwashed by Beryl, then had forgotten her, and if that hadn't been enough, he'd dumped her at the first sign of trouble. So right now, he was fighting an uphill battle, but Mamoru was a warrior at heart, and this was one battle he refused to lose. He abandoned his food and went over to her, crouching down beside her chair. "Usako, sometimes I don't deserve you," he said, taking her cool hands in his own. One day I'll propose to her like this, was a thought that managed to wander through his head.   
She turned her head aside, and a tear rolled down her pale cheek. He wanted to brush it away, but her tears were precious when they were shed this way- true crying, not the false wailing she had used so effectively when she had been younger. "You're right, Mamoru-san," she said, her use of his full name striking a chord of alarm somewhere deep inside him. "No one should have to put up with a baka like me," she said resignedly. She started to stand, but Mamoru used his grip on her hands to force her back into the chair. Her eyes went wise with confusion.   
Mamoru's expression was fierce as he kissed her. Her mouth opened under his from surprise, and he quickly took advantage of that by coercing her tongue into his mouth. It felt so good that he pulled her down into his arms, caressing her slender waist delicately, then tracing his way up, up around so he could release the clips that held her hair up in her trademark hairstyle.   
The golden mass of hair fell around both of them like a cape, and Mamoru slowed their kisses. Finally they stopped after one last kiss, Mamoru pulling away far enough so he could see her entire face. They sat together on the kitchen floor, tangled in her amazingly long hair, trying to catch their breath. "I love you as you are, my princess. I love you as you were, and I'll love you no matter what you become. You're my other half, Tsukino Usagi, Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, my Usako."   
"Oh, Mamo-chan," she sighed.   
He clenched his fists, and she looked up, concerned. "You have no idea what the thought of Demando does to me, do you?"   
"Where did that come from?" Usagi asked.   
His eyes were shadowed. "You trust everyone so readily, even someone like Saffir, who is the enemy. I can't do that... especially after seeing Demando holding you, trying to... trying to kiss you," he growled.   
"I would never let him kiss me, Mamo-chan. My kisses are only for you," she said, burrowing her head into the hollow of his shoulder. "I was so scared when he had me- he wanted me to love him like a mindless slave, wanted me to be his. That will never happen. My heart has always been yours."   
"I know that. But if I ever see that bastard again, he dies."   
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi protested.   
"Well, he'll experience severe pain," he amended hastily as he saw the look that crossed her face.   
"I know you want to protect me, but this time, just trust me. I think.... maybe if we're lucky, we can actually settled things without killing Demando. We have Saffir on our side. That has to mean something."   
"But I thought you were upset because you didn't believe that we could resolve this!" he ventured carefully.   
She smiled at him, the old smile of cheer. "I know. But someone managed to change my mind. Someone who kisses really well," she teased.   
"Maybe he should change your mind again," he replied, pulling her tight. They began to kiss again, and neither of them was in any hurry to finish. 

***   
"Virgos have a basic distrust in their nature, not only of other people but themselves as well."   
*** 

Black Lady lounged on the Pellucid Throne. Every now and then she looked up into the image of Crystal Tokyo that was projected in the center of the room, but mainly she just sat there, waiting.   
Being a bad guy isn't as fun as I thought it'd be, she thought with a tinge of boredom. All we do is plot and wait and wait and wait. No one really cares about you.   
She tried to get rid of the loneliness that had been plaguing her. It was like a sore wound, an aching throb that could usually be ignored, but was always there. Every time she saw the Senshi it was like getting kicked where it hurt most.   
From the floor a shadowy figure began to rise... a figure that triggered the entire spectrum of emotions Black Lady had ever felt. She looked at him, wondering how this twisted creature had ended up being the only being she could trust-- well, she did have Luna P, too, but Luna P wasn't truly alive. Luna P was more of an extension of her rather then a sentient being.   
Her wide red eyes watched as the cowl rose, and the Wiseman sat, hovering in mid-air. Black Lady looked on him, well aware that some part of her mind was screaming in agony. The small part that was still Small Lady... Black Lady resolved to get another burst of jakokuzuishou energy after the Wiseman finished talking to her. There was no way she was going to let her prior personality surface again-- that would be weak, and the last thing the Black Lady was weak.   
"Black Lady," he said, his voice sounding like it came from beyond the grave.   
"Yes, Wiseman?" she asked, bored already.   
He hissed, and her startled attention returned to him. "Do not treat me like an irritation," he warned, sending a mild wave of panic through her.   
"Hai," she whispered, feeling the screaming inside of her grow louder. Couldn't Chibi-Usa shut UP?! she wondered, wishing that the child would stop crying for her parents. The Neo-Queen and Neo-King didn't love her, and neither did any of the Senshi. The child started to quiet as Black Lady directed that reminder at her, and Black Lady gave a mental sigh of relief as she felt Small Lady withdraw in despair.   
"Tomorrow is the day," the Wiseman told her.   
"What day?" Black Lady asked. "I thought the jakokuzuishou wouldn't be ready for another three." She wore a perplexed frown.   
"It won't be," the Wiseman affirmed. "Tomorrow, though, will be the day we kill Demando," he said, and the colors inside of his globe intensified. It was like the globe was responding to his excitement.   
She blinked, trying to assimilate this new data. "Why are we killing him tomorrow? Wouldn't it be smarter to wait until we were ready to assume control of the jakokuzuishou?"   
"No. Demando has grown suspicious. Even though he denied Saffir, something in his heart does not believe in us anymore. Saffir did more damage then I had originally realized," the Wiseman said with disgust.   
"So the White Prince is going to die," she said. "What about the rest of his people?"   
"They are nothing. With Rubeus and Esmeraude dead, and Saffir in exile, Demando is the last of the royal line, and no one else should be strong enough to survive claiming the Pellucid Throne. Without that power, they have no chance of defeated us."   
Black Lady nodded, almost sad that Demando would be dying. He was so beautiful. But he was an obstacle, and she would kill him because she had promised the Wiseman she would help him destroy the world. The Wiseman was all she had. "Agreed. So you want me to attack him, then?" she asked.   
"No, my dear. I want that pleasure for myself," the Wiseman said. "He and his family have been driving me crazy for the last two years. Seeing the White Prince dead by my hand will give me no end of satisfaction. You are to save your strength for opening the Dark Gate."   
She shrugged. The Prince would die an agonizing death, but it was his own fault. "Very well, then."   
The Wiseman nodded, or at least, that's what Black Lady thought he did- it was hard to tell with that cowled robe he wore. He started to sink into the floor, but just before he vanished, he looked up at her, and she caught her first glimpse of his actual face.   
A skull. The classic sign of death, and it was animated with darkness. Black Lady slammed her hands against her ears in a futile attempt to quiet the screams that came from within. 

***   
"Quietly reserved, Virgos are polite and soft spoken people."   
***   
  
Once again, they were alone.   
Ami looked on Saffir, watching as he settled into the couch. The Senshi had left them, more confidently then last time, but still with reservation. Surprisingly, it had been Minako who had lingered the longest, her pretty face furrowed with concern. "Just be careful, and guard yourself," Minako had whispered in her ear as she had passed. That had made sense, but there had been something else Senshi Venus had been trying to warn her of, something Ami couldn't understand.   
"Are you hungry?" she asked.   
"Not really," he replied in a distracted tone. His face was smooth and as expressionless as the night sky they all fought under.   
"Can I get anything for you?"   
"No," he said. He ran a hand through his untamed locks, then suddenly focused his eyes on her.   
Ami had never been looked at in such a manner. There was nothing sexual in it, but she felt as though he was undressing her, stripping away all the layers that kept the "real" Ami from the rest of the world. "Who are you, Mizuno Ami?" he asked.   
"What-what do you mean?" she stuttered in reply.   
"Do you know who you are?"   
"I'm Mizuno Ami, Sailor Mercury. I'm a good student, and my mother is a doctor and my father is an artist. I want to be a doctor someday."   
His eyes remained sharp, but she had the feeling he was thinking of something else. "You define yourself by what other people see you as. How do you define yourself?"   
She opened her mouth to say there was no difference, but hesitated as her mind reminded her of the many times she had come up against that very problem. Hadn't she been wishing that people would be able to see the real her, not just brain? Usagi had been the only one who had ever noticed, and even she thought of her as a nerd. "I'm not sure I know," Ami admitted.   
"I used to," Saffir replied. The room's dim lights added eerie shadows to his pale face, and Ami resisted an urge to shudder. "I was Demando's younger brother, and I lived to serve him. What do you do when your very definition of yourself has been forcibly removed?" He started to laugh, but his laughter was low and bitter, and Ami longed to be able to do something for this man, her enemy, to ease his pain.   
"Then you must find a new way to define yourself, finally discover who Saffir is- Saffir is himself, not just Prince Demando-sama's younger brother," Ami said softly, reaching out to take his hands. She had never been a tactile person until meeting Usagi, but now she couldn't imagine living any other way. Touch was so important.   
Saffir jerked back almost reflexively, and Ami looked at him with sad eyes. There was such a gulf between the two of them- infuriating though it was, neither was able to cross, even if they wanted to be to. Ami, as any good Senshi would have been, was eager to reach out and breach the gap, but Saffir was the villain of the piece, and he was unable to look beyond his immediate concerns. That was the fundamental difference between the two; both had the same skills and abilities, yet that had chosen to use them differently- Ami to serve the world, Saffir to serve only his brother, and by extension, himself.   
Saffir managed to regain his aplomb quickly, reminding himself that she hadn't meant to do anything aside from offer her version of comfort. The Senshi were frighteningly naive, yet he had little choice aside from throwing his lot in with them. They had managed to defeat Beryl; perhaps they would be able to defeat the more sinister Wiseman where he had failed. There was something to be said for teamwork, he knew. It didn't mean he had to like it. Still, the injured expression on her face worried him. Saffir was perceptive enough to know that she was his primary advocate among the Senshi- it would be best to keep on her good side. But how to do it.   
"Um, do you want to play another game of chess?" he stuttered uncertainly. Chess had been their common ground before, hadn't it?   
Ami looked over at him, her hurt expression melting off her face. As a distraction, it was so transparent that she was barely able to refrain from giggling. Still, he was making an effort. Social skills obviously weren't his forte. "I'd like that," she replied with a light laugh, bringing out the chess board again.   
Saffir slid to the floor, arranging himself so he sat cross-legged across from her. She neatly folded herself down and picked up one of the white pieces. She touched one of her pawns, preparing to move it forward. "I used to love chess when I was little," she whispered, not sure why she was still talking to him.   
He raised his head slightly, and she saw a faint gleam of interest in them. It was thrilling to know she had been able to inspire that in a man like Saffir. "Why?" he asked.   
"I had few friends when I was younger," she said softly. She dropped her eyes to the chess board, finding it easier to talk without actually looking at him. "I was too intelligent- how many six year olds talk about Newton? I frightened them, so no one would be friends with me. So I learned how to entertain myself- I was lucky that an older gentlemen was willing to be my chess partner. But I'm happier now, with the rest of the Senshi."   
"But they don't really understand," Saffir whispered. "They don't know what it's like to wake up in the middle of the night with an idea throbbing in their heads, demanding to get written down so they don't forget. They don't understand the frustration that comes with knowing that no matter how much you learn, you'll never know everything you want to. They don't understand the fascination that numbers hold, or ask why something works. They don't get an itch in their fingers to build something. They don't have to cope with being so bloody more intelligent then the rest of the world that you feel like you're on a totally different wavelength."   
Ami went still. Saffir had just described her feelings towards the Senshi perfectly. She loved them- loved them more then anything else, but sometimes it was so frustrating to attempt to explain things that were obvious to her, to be treated like a brain. She knew that her intelligence defined part of who she was, but that was ALL she was. "Sometimes it gets to the point where you just want to scream, to tell the world that you're real, you're more then your mind."   
Then it all came pouring out. She told him of her childhood, of her parents' divorce, of how it hurt her mother to see Ami reach out to touch the artistic side she possessed. She spoke of a lonely childhood, redeemed only when she was befriended by the ever-cheerful Sailor Moon.   
Her voice trembled as she came near the end of her narrative. "I know they like me for myself, but at times I wonder whether they would have been my friends without my being the Mercury Senshi."   
Saffir had listened to her with patience. He waited a moment before speaking, showing that he was considering what she had said before shoving his opinion in. "I know you don't want to know anything about the future, but I have to admit my opinions are colored by what I do know.   
"In the future, legends of the Senshi are children's bedtime stories. Some have to be exaggerated, but I studied them. I studied all of them- as any tactician will tell you, any kind of intelligence can help you win a battle. Some of the legends might even have some vital truth in them. In a way, I know you better then you know yourself, Sailor Mercury."   
She opened her mouth to protest, but he hushed her with a motion of his hand. "I haven't finished. As I studied, I was struck by one thing- it seems that destiny dictates what happens to you and your friends. No matter what the threat was, or from your viewpoint, will be, you stuck together and triumphed because you care strongly for one another. They accept you as you are, Mizuno Ami- don't question the fortune that brought you together. We are all pawns of fate, playing the game of life to the best of our abilities."   
"I guess," she sighed, even though she didn't entirely agree with him. A tear trickle down her face.   
Saffir surprised both of them by wiping the moisture dry, his silky gloves absorbing her tear. It was a profound moment, and neither of them were able to break the spell for a minute. Finally Saffir drew back a little, giving her an almost gentle smile.   
"I feel like I've known you my entire lifetime, Ami," he said. "Or that I should have. We could have had such fun when we were little." She nodded, not wanting to break his soft mood. "I, though, officially gave up any claims to childhood I had when I was fourteen, not much younger then you are now."   
"I gave childhood up when I first became a Senshi, though I didn't realize that until after I died."   
"D point," Saffir said. "Considered by historians to be the first step towards the Crystal Millennium."   
She nodded, his knowledge proving once again that he was, indeed, from the future. No one knew about that except for the Senshi and Mamoru. "Why did you lose your childhood at fourteen?" she asked, blushing a second later. That hadn't come out quite right.   
Saffir retreated into an expression of blankness, an expression that Ami was coming to learn that meant he was thinking. "At that age, I planned my first attack on Earth."   
Ami's jaw went slack. Saffir began to pick up the tale he had left off with, and the chess game was forgotten before it had even begun. 

Next Up:   
Part Five: Shadow of the Diamond   
-or-   
Whatever Happened to the Outer Senshi?   



	5. Shadow of the Diamond

Part Five: Shadow of the Diamond  
-or-  
Whatever Happened to the Outer Senshi?  
  
***  
Virgos are essentially tacticians, admirable in the attainment of limited objectives.  
***  
  
Esmeraude fluttered that damn fan of hers towards Saffir, who merely scowled in return. He hated being shorter then she was. He kept hoping that he would grow to be almost as tall as his oniisan, but for now, he was stuck being short. And he despised it.  
  
Saffir sat at a desk covered with the best Nemesian technology had to offer. He actually had three high-tech computers set up, two of which he constantly kept in motion, using statistics to plot the likely outcome of any event. His fingers flew across the keys at a pace that made Esmeraude dizzy, yet he disliked all of the techie toys. He preferred books; there was something about being actually able to touch the data he was gathering. Still, he had to admit the computers were more efficient, and with the population as uneasy as it was, time was of the essence. Demando was working against the clock, and needed to have a battle plan that would win a decisive victory against the Earth.  
  
Saffir hated having to deal with the political ramifications of his actions. If he'd would have been able to plan a straight strategy, without worrying about what other people THOUGHT, he would have been able to launch a power attack that the Earth would have had little time to recuperate from. First pick off the Outposts of Uranus and Neptune, then head inwards. The Outer Senshi were the most dangerous foes the Black Moon would be facing, and it would be prudent to get rid of them before proceeding. However, there was politics and moral to be considered, and Demando had insisted that a decisive victory somewhere on Earth would be the way to win the support of the common citizen.  
  
Saffir could deny Demando's order as far...  
  
***  
"Virgos have a wonderful eye for detail and often neglect the overall issues."  
***  
  
"What do you mean, Outer Senshi?" Ami asked, interrupting Saffir's story for the first time, unable to let the little term slip go by unnoticed. Are there other Senshi? she wondered.  
  
His smile was amused. "Did you ever wonder why all of you represent Inner planets of the solar system? Now that you've met Sailor Pluto, you know other planets could support Senshi."  
  
She tilted her head, a frown marring her ivory face. Her fingers nervously played with a knight, the cool marble smooth underneath her cold touch. "I haven't had the chance to really think on that," she admitted.  
  
"At this time, the Outer Senshi haven't been awakened yet. It was one of the reasons this time period was chosen for the attack- the Outer Senshi are more powerful and deadly then the Inner Senshi."   
  
Something about the way Saffir had spoken struck a warning note within Ami. Her already large eyes fastened on him. "Deadly?" she whispered worriedly.  
  
"Hai. The Outer Senshi are much more practical then you and your friends. They will do anything, make any sacrifices, to do what they believe is their duty."  
  
"I can't believe that!" Ami protested. "We're the Soldiers of love and justice!"  
  
"Do you really want to get into this argument, or do you want me to finish my story?" Saffir asked, showing a bit of exasperation. "For the sake of peace, just accept that there are other Senshi that are more powerful."  
  
She sighed. "Gomen. Continue, please," Ami said....  
  
***  
FAMOUS VIRGOS: Mother Teresa, Agatha Christie, Greta Garbo, Grandma Moses, Bernstein, Ingrid Bergman, Jesse James, Sophia Loren, Sean Connery.  
***  
  
Saffir could deny Demando's order as far as he could command the sun to shine on the dark planet Nemesis- he simply didn't have the strength of the character to do so. If Demando wanted something, Saffir was bound and determined to make sure he got it, even if he didn't agree that it was a good idea. Hell, he wasn't even a teenager yet- perhaps Demando was right.  
  
But that didn't mean he had to like it. And it didn't mean he had to tolerate the bitchy Esmeraude. "What do you want?" he asked finally, looking up at her, wishing he could grab the fan away from her. She had just whipped it within an inch of his face, and even he couldn't pretend to ignore it any longer.  
  
She laughed, and it set his teeth on edge. That damn laugh of hers echoed in his nightmares, and one of his greatest fears was that she would some day manage to marry Demando through some nefarious plot (he trusted his oniisan to have the good sense to avoid that, but still...). The idea of Esmeraude as his sister-in-law was a hellish thought. "Why, Saffir-chan, I just wanted to see how the battle plans were progressing," she purred, tossing the green hair with flair.  
  
The woman had being irritating down to an artform. He certainly didn't merit the "chan" she had attached to his name. "About as well as can be expected, Ezzy-chan," he replied, relishing the way her chocolate brown eyes spark with the same irritation she caused in him. "I could work much faster if I wasn't be interrupted by obnoxious concerns," he finished, turning his attention back to the battle plans. Maybe if our troops hit France.....  
  
The fan appeared in his line-of-sight again, and he seriously considered expending a little bit of magic to teleport it away- perhaps to the Palace's Sanitary Department. His over-developed sense of consequence warned him it would be a bad idea- though powerful, he didn't use his magic nearly as often as the less-powerful Esmeraude, and she would be livid if he did such a thing. Having a magical duel with the Green Lady was hardly the sort of thing Demando would approve of. So he merely looked at her, trying to chill her with the coldness of his eyes. "Yes?"  
  
"Saffir-chan, are you sure you should do this all by yourself? You might make a mistake," she said, her expression gentle with phony concern.   
  
"Unlike you, I don't make mistakes," he informed her, pursing his lips. Hadn't one of the Senshi once work in England? he wondered, trying to recall the data he had assimilated on his foes. Might be a good move if I took away that power-base, he thought. Planning a battle was like playing a game of chess that suddenly had become three-dimensional. Complex, and enough to give anyone a headache, even a prodigy such as himself. He grabbed another note pad and begin to use his shorthand- neat, small, and every letter formed exactly the way they should be. Frowning, he wondered why he didn't just attack some insignificant city like Tulsa, Oklahoma. No one would EVER think that an invasion would come into Tulsa. Maybe I should just tell him to hit something like that.  
  
"Everyone makes mistakes, Saffir-chan," she teased. "And I hope I'm there when you do," she whispered huskily.  
  
"So do I," he snapped back. "Because if I make a mistake, it's most likely to get us all killed, and I certainly wouldn't want you to miss THAT!" he snarled. "Now if you would leave- Good Day!"  
  
Esmeraude looked at him, noting the tired circles under his eyes. It was strange- this child was one of the most powerful politicians on the planet. She considered pestering him more, but decided that it would be preferable to do her nails instead. Even though she wore gloves regularly, that was no excuse to be less then perfect. She drew the fan through her hand quickly, then spun around, stalking off, swaying unconsciously on her spiked heels.  
  
Saffir resisted the urge to sigh with relief. She was simply the most impossibly irritating person he'd ever met. He stretched tiredly, and looked at the clock, surprised that he had lost another four hours to his work. He was actually getting rather hungry.   
  
Standing up, he moved with precision towards the kitchen, not bothering to summon a servant. He was still uncomfortable with his status as the Prince's brother, and shuddered whenever he recalled that until Demando smartened up and had a child of his own, Saffir himself was Heir. All Demando had to do was find an appropriate wife... for some reason, the thought of Demando in love struck something inside him... almost a premonition of disaster.  
  
Saffir ate quickly, then headed to his room for a short nap. He hadn't really been sleeping well- he wasn't sure why, but perhaps it was because of the dreams.   
  
As soon as his head touched the pillow, he slid into the welcoming embrace of sleep. He slept when he needed to, rather then be ruled be the demands of the cycle of Nemesis' 25-hour day. His dreams came quickly.  
  
There was a man leading an attack, with fire for hair... turning, the man looked at Saffir, and the young genius looked on his cousin Rubeus. The man's lips were pulled tight against his teeth, and Saffir had the unpleasant feeling that the man was going to enjoy causing the destruction that was facing the delicate looking planet beneath their feet.  
  
He heard a laugh, that distinctive laugh that he, or anyone who'd ever heard it before, would recognize anywhere. Esmeraude leaned over the window, her skirt riding up to a point that was dangerously high. "The Outer Senshi come," she whispered in delight. "Wait till they see what we have!" she crowed eagerly.   
  
Saffir could feel her joy and eagerness, and wondered why the pair was looking forward to meeting the dangerous Uranus and her lover Neptune. "What are you talking about?" he asked, but as in some dreams, it appeared he was an observer, and could have no direct affect on the events that were happening around him.   
  
With a sudden burst of light, three Senshi materialized within the room. One had blonde hair, the second had turquoise and the third bore dark black hair that was neatly bobbed at her shoulders. But where is Pluto? Saffir wondered. Where is the Senshi of Time, the Soldier of Revolution?  
  
"We will not let you pass!" declared the blonde, who was Sailor Uranus. Neptune stood still, unconsciously mirroring her partner's stance, while Saturn merely leaned threateningly on her pole-arm.  
  
"We think you will," Rubeus purred.   
  
Something like concern flashed through Neptune's expressive eyes before she spoke. Her voice was smooth and had an unusual coyness to it, but Saffir knew she was deadly serious. "And why would that be? We are the Senshi of the Outer Solar system... it is our mission to protect Crystal Tokyo from invaders."  
  
This time Esmeraude laughed, and looked down at the Senshi, women who had been alive for over a thousand years and princesses to boot. Classic Esmeraude. Placing her fan against her left ear, she strode forward threateningly. "I'm sorry to inform you that we are not, technically, invaders- Nemesis is the tenth planet of the Solar System."  
  
"That does not matter. You are no longer citizens of the planet Earth," Saturn said. She had purple eyes that looked very like Demando's.   
  
"Saturn- would you destroy Earth?" Rubeus asked.  
  
"I am the Soldier of Death and Rebirth. I will destroy whatever I must to protect the future. Sacrifices must be made for the good of all," she said with a tired voice, though Saffir didn't doubt her determination.   
  
A form stepped out of the shadows, someone Saffir hadn't noticed before. His eyes widened, recognizing the eyes. The eyes were the same dusky blue he saw whenever he chanced to glance in a mirror, but the face was older. Saffir was pleased to see that he came up to Esmeraude's height easily. "Even your beloved Queen? Even the Princess?"   
  
All three Senshi paled. "What are you talking about? There is no Princess," Uranus said unsteadily.  
  
"But there will be in about- four years, is it? Small Lady Usagi Serenity, first born child of their Majesties, Endymion and Serenity. Listen to me, Outer Senshi. This is not your battle. If you fight, you will upset the time stream. This battle is to be fought by the Inner Senshi and the Queen. Where is Pluto, I ask you?" he asked in a dead voice.  
  
They looked at each other uneasily. "Pluto does not involve herself in matters that can be dealt with without her," Uranus answered. The other two Senshi had shifted so she was in the front, obviously becoming the leader and spokeswoman.  
  
And then the older Saffir smiled, a cool look that held no joy. "No, that's not the reason," he told them. He produced a small blue ball from his own space, summoning it with a bit of magic. He idly rolled it through his fingers, causing it to dance and spin on the tips, rolling it over the back on his hand, into the palm, then back out over his wrist in a remarkable display of dexterity. He smiled as their eyes fixed on the small blue orb, but none of them seemed to realize the danger that the dreaming Saffir could see.   
  
"What do you mean?" Uranus demanded.  
  
"None of you will see the Princess's birth," he informed them. The ball kept rolling, but suddenly split into three equally sized balls, one red, one blue, and the final green. Uranus finally got a clue, bringing her fist upwards. "Don't try anything!" she spat. "I'll tear this ship apart before you can do anything."  
  
The older Saffir exchanged glances with Rubeus and Esmeraude, who strangely was missing her fan. "I don't think so," Saffir said, tossing all three balls into the air as Uranus started to call for her magic.  
  
Rubeus and Esmeraude called forth their magic at the same time, each hitting the ball of their color. The three balls whirled together before affixing themselves to a Senshi. Uranus was caught with her hand extended, while Saturn and Neptune merely stood with horrified looks on their faces.  
  
The three lords of Nemesis sweatted profusely. "You had better have that thing ready right now," Esmeraude panted, trying to restrain Neptune.  
  
The dreaming Saffir recognized what they had done. Nemesis had always had a strange affinity for time manipulation, and it looked like the Outer Senshi had been frozen in the second. The older Saffir smiled and took another device from a nearby counter. He activated it, and it glowed with a strange white light. He threw it at the center of the Senshi. The light flashed, and the Senshi vanished, causing the triumphant trio to slump to their knees. "Ye Gods, they're powerful," Rubeus said.  
  
Esmeraude nodded, her fan having returned as mysteriously as it had vanished. "How far did we throw them?" she asked.  
  
The older Saffir shrugged. "About twenty years, would be my guess. Enough time to conquer Earth. By the time they re-enter the normal time line, it'll be too late for them to do anything to help their beloved rulers."  
  
Rubeus just grinned wickedly. "That really felt good!" he declared. "Now we just do that to the Inner Senshi and..."  
  
The older Saffir sighed with exasperation. "I've already told you, Rubeus, that this was a one-off. It will take a minute part of our power to keep them from re-entering the time stream prematurely, and no other Nemesians have enough power to throw anyone out of time, excluding Demando. I would have preferred to throw the Neo-King and Queen through time, but the Outer Senshi were the more immediate threat. We have enough warriors to conquer the Earth in a more conventional matter."  
  
The dreamer was focused on the conversation, but the older Saffir suddenly seemed to notice his presence. "You've seen what you came for," that Saffir told his younger self.  
  
Saffir jerked awake, trying to untangle himself from the sheets that seemed to be strangling him. He literally rolled out of bed, hitting the floor in an ungraceful tumble of blankets and pillows. Struggling to his feet, he managed to work his way into his study and picked up his computer, starting his research on time manipulation. If he could get rid of the Outer Senshi, that would be a major victory, and a subtle one. The denizens of Crystal Tokyo were unlikely to notice that Uranus, Neptune and Saturn were missing until the Black Moon could launch its attack.  
  
And so, a year later, Saffir, Rubeus, and Esmeraude left for Earth, and things fell out as planned. Rather then strike the Earth immediately after removing the Outer Senshi, they withdrew so Demando could consolidate enough support for an all-out war. By this time no one doubted that Demando was the Prince that Nemesis had been waiting for so long. Now they simply had to prepare the attacks... and for that, Demando needed capable commanders aside from Rubeus and Esmeraude. Saffir had bluntly pointed out that no one was going to take orders from a teenager, Prince's brother or not. Besides, Saffir wasn't exactly what could be called a "people person". He simply didn't have much patience for those who were stupider then he was, which was pretty much everyone. Only Demando was spared the sharp side of his sarcastic wit.   
  
Finding the commanders proved to be more difficult then anticipated. But finally Rubeus discovered four women he felt would be capable, and these women just happened to be sisters. The sisters Ayakashi.   
  
***  
"Virgos are amazingly brilliant problem solvers. When colleagues take weeks to work out a solution, Virgos immediately find answers."  
***  
  
Saffir was messing around his labs, working on a weapon. He hated this part of his life's work, but recognized the necessity. Demando wanted the Earth, and Demando would get it, by hook or by crook. Since he doubted the Terrans would be willing to just hand over their planet (which rightfully belonged to the people of Nemesis), more drastic measures would have to be taken. And that meant battle. Saffir knew that if it came down to weapons, he would feel horribly guilty if his people died because he had decided to be squeamish.  
  
In the four years since the Outer Senshi had been removed, Nemesis had been quietly gearing up for battle. Terra was still completely unaware of the danger it was in, and the Nemesians were going to take advantage of that to the fullest extent. Saffir's designs were brilliant and deadly, and he had to admit to a private admiration for his abilities. Strange that a seventeen year old would be the instrument of so much death.  
  
He looked down at a pad for a particularly nasty device, frowning as he noticed a problem. It seems that he had forgotten to take the reaction magic had to plutonium into account- a mistake the youngest Magick student would have caught. This weapon, while excellent on the purely physical level, would tear itself apart if touch by any offensive magic. He would have to redesign the whole thing from the ground up. He almost yelled in frustration, but bit his lip. He was tired; it was understandable. He had been working on these since he had finished the time-shifting device that had thrown Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn forward through time- assuming there was a forward for them to land in.   
  
He shook the thoughts from his head, glad that Rubeus and Esmeraude hadn't seen him make this major blunder. It would set him back by about a week, assuming he slept. Some nights, though, he just didn't sleep. Insomnia plague him in the worst possible way. When he did sleep, he was tormented by strange dreams, dreams that seemed to meld the past and the future together. Saffir had, by this time, recognized that he had a slight gift of prophecy- after all, he wouldn't have known how to disable the Outer Senshi as he had. But his dreams were haunted, particularly by the blue eyes Sailor Uranus.  
  
Stretching his back, he prepared to turn his attention to a different weapon when the door was thrown open and Rubeus entered without so much as a by-your-leave. "What is it, Rubeus?" Saffir asked testily. While he merely disliked Esmeraude, he and Rubeus positively detested each other. They were incapable of seeing eye-to-eye, and Saffir suspected the only reason Rubeus hadn't killed him yet was because Demando would be rather irate over his younger brother's death. Rubeus' loyalty to Demando was his only saving grace in Saffir's eyes, and at times, Saffir almost didn't think it was enough.  
  
Rubeus walked forward, carrying his jacket. One of his peculiarities was the fact that he never actually seemed to WEAR the stupid thing. Another annoying quirk. Finally Rubeus stood less then two feet away, looking down on the teenage prodigy. "I need to know how the weapons design is coming along," he said.  
  
Saffir cursed whatever God had chosen to send Rubeus at this particular moment, if there was a God or two still watching over Nemesis. "Fine," Saffir said quickly, then rose quickly, stalking into his adjacent study. Rubeus NEVER went into there. To his surprise, the General trailed after him.  
  
"Will we be ready for an attack in a month?" Rubeus asked.  
  
Saffir almost choked. "A full-scale attack, or just a hit-and-run kind of thing?" he asked.  
  
"An all-out assault on whatever target you deem is most vulnerable," Rubeus said almost grudgingly.   
  
"If you're able to have some decent commanders, then I will have enough weapons ready for you to raise hell on Earth. But as you have yet to find anyone capable enough to assume command over our troops, I'm not hurrying."  
  
Rubeus gave him a predatory grin. "That's changed. I've finally found some people whom I think are powerful enough to give the Senshi a nice run around," he practically purred.  
  
Saffir raised an eyebrow. "Really," he said without much enthusiasm. It was true he had designed enough weapons for an assault, but he would prefer to have a surplus- and finding out his latest child had turned into a brat wasn't a good thing. And the fact he was talking to Rubeus just made his day worse.   
  
"Hai. The Sisters Ayakashi- I doubt you've met them, but they have a certain.... zest for destruction that makes them wonderful. And they seem very powerful."  
  
For the first time, Saffir noticed the girl who had followed Rubeus in. She was wearing what looked like a swimsuit, thigh-high boots, and nothing else. In other words, she looked like a bondage queen. He cursed himself for missing her presence before, but Rubeus had a way of distracting him. "They must be very good in bed, Rubeus, for you to stick your neck out like this," Saffir said.  
  
Rubeus' face turned as bright as his namesake. "Listen to me, you little piece of-" Rubeus spat angrily, but was met only by the sight of Saffir's back. "I am NOT sleeping with them!" he said in an offended tone. "They are simple the most powerful Nemesians I've encountered aside from the Royal Family- with proper training, they'll be ready for an attack."  
  
"This training will only take a month?" Saffir asked skeptically.  
  
"No, it will take longer for the younger sisters, but the two oldest will be able to come and help within the month."  
  
Saffir shook his head. "I'm not good with people, you know that. I will have to trust your judgment, much as it pains me to do so. You had better not be wrong about this."  
  
Rubeus glowered the way only he could. "I'm right about this," he said stubbornly.   
  
Saffir just glared, then he smiled maliciously. "It'll be your fault," he said, purring.   
  
"Nothing will go wrong. Start planning an attack." Rubeus turned, and looked over the shoulder that didn't have the jacket on it at the girl. "Stay here," he told her. Then he was gone.  
  
Saffir looked up at the young girl Rubeus had brought to his study. With a frown on his face, he realized that she must be about his age. She stood staring at his computers, then her eyes darted around to read some of the titles on the wall. "Why haven't you left yet?" Saffir demanded.  
  
Her smile was shy, though he detected a bit of coolness in her icy blue eyes. "Rubeus told me to wait here for him. He's testing out the capabilities of the rest of my sisters today, and he doesn't want me around," she said.  
  
Saffir's eyes looked disdainfully over her revealing outfit. "And why would that be?" he asked. "I thought someone like you would appeal to Rubeus- he certainly has enough hormones."  
  
Her eyes flashed with anger. "You have no right to make judgments about me, Saffir-sama," she informed him.  
  
"I am brother to the Prince," he retorted just as quickly. "I have every right." Then he paused. "Rubeus never told me your name."  
  
A flush appeared on her white cheeks. "I'm Ayakashi Beruche, second youngest of the Sisters Ayakashi."  
  
"Fine, Ayakashi Beruche. Just sit down and shut up, and I'll pretend you're not here."  
  
Beruche sighed softly, but Rubeus had told her to expect as much. Saffir was notorious for his dislike of other people, and apparently, she was to be no exception. She'd been looking forward to possibly seeing if he'd spend some time with her, since Rubeus and her sisters didn't value thinking much. Reluctantly she picked up a book that was sitting on a table, and with a slight grin, began to read. She was surprised that rather then some highly technical weaponry, it was about a game- a game from Earth called chess. It sounded absolutely fascinating. She quickly devoured the book, trying to get all the strategies to sink into her head. She flipped the final page closed and started wondering.  
  
Saffir was still staring at his computer screen. Finally she gained enough courage to speak. "Saffir-sama?" she asked quietly.  
  
"I thought I told you to keep quiet," he told her.   
  
"I have been," she informed him. "It's been three hours."  
  
"So? I didn't volunteer to baby-sit you. It's not my responsibility to make sure you're entertained."  
  
"Gomen Nasai, Saffir-sama," she replied. "It's just- I was wondering if you had anymore books on chess. I've never heard of it before."  
  
Saffir whirled, focusing every ounce of his formidable attention at the pale girl. "You're interested in chess?" he asked.  
  
Beruche nodded, unable to force any words through her suddenly clogged throat. His eyes were assessing her, and she dreaded what would happen to her if he ruled her wanting. Why was he so upset about a chess book? she wondered.  
  
He tapped his chin finally, and suddenly the temperature in the room seemed to rise to a more comfortable level. "Would you be interested in playing a game?"  
  
Unable to believe her luck, Beruche nodded eagerly. Saffir expressionlessly got up and found a chess set that had been carefully stowed away. He set a coffee table between them and took a seat that was between his computer and the table. He started to set the board up, while Beruche simply watched, fascinated. Finally the board was set out. "Here's the King," he said, picking up a piece. "It's the most important piece in the game...."  
  
***  
LOVE LIFE: Virgos like the comfort of a peaceful person with whom they can build a close-knit, solid family.  
***  
  
Like a wolves, the sisters proved to be as formidable as Rubeus had hoped- the problem was making sure they didn't break the chain that bound them to Demando and end up attacking him. To aid in that effort, Rubeus cultivated Cooan, while the rest of the sisters were kept bickering. Individually, they were impressive and reliable; as a group, they could prove to be almost mutinous.  
  
Saffir didn't concern himself with them- not at all. All he needed was for them to carry out his plans, which he relayed through Rubeus. Every now and then he would have a chess game with Beruche, and found that her company actually didn't bother him. She was reasonably intelligent, though she was just as devious as the rest of the Black Moon Family. She had a habit of cheating, but she was easy to catch. After a while, Beruche's cheating became a running joke between them- she would try more improbable and elaborate methods, to which Saffir responded by delightedly catching her- occasionally he would even ignore it, and thoroughly defeat her even while she cheated.  
  
The first strike he planned came at the British Isles- after weighing and reweighing the options, he decided that grabbing a land-base that could be easily isolated was the way to go, and by taking England, he was indirectly striking at the Inner Senshi- particularly Sailor Venus. Terra had been totally unprepared, and had been unable to mount a counter-attack in time to prevent the Black Moon's forces from occupying the small group of islands.  
  
Terra mobilized its forces, but the Black Moon had had ten years of preparation time. City after city fell before them... Los Angeles and Moscow were totally leveled to the ground, Rubeus delightedly watching as Cooan's flames raced through the streets. Some said that he was recording the sounds of the dying children's screams so he could listen to them as he went to sleep, but Saffir thought it unlikely. Rubeus preferred live action. Millions of people were dying, but still it was not enough. Nemesis did not have all of Earth- and Nemesis wouldn't stop until it did.  
  
It was about a year after the first of the attacks that Saffir met Petz, the oldest of the Ayakashi sisters. She was two years older then his eighteen years, but that never really bothered him.  
  
He hadn't slept for more then three hours at a time since the sacking of London. Unlike most of his family, he could see the pattern the future was starting to take, and it gave him nightmares. The Senshi hadn't come out of their Crystal Palace yet, and that worried him. They were probably setting up some kind of defense, and he was frightened. The Senshi were legendary- though the Inner Senshi were not the strongest Senshi (everyone knew that was Sailor Saturn), they had always triumphed over their adversaries in the past- Queen Beryl, Queen Nehelania, Sailor Galaxia... and he understood that each of them had skills that, when combined, might be able to throw off some of the Black Moon's strongest assaults. He was particular considered by Neo Queen Serenity- according to legend, she possessed the ginzuishou, and that could prove to be fatal.   
  
One day he was working in his lab, toying with yet another one of the gadgets that fascinated him. It was such a rush to build something on his own, to create something that hadn't existed until he thought of it. His hands were holding onto a micro-screwdriver when the door opened, and in whirled a thunderstorm.  
  
Technically, it was a woman, but Saffir's other-senses told him that dealing with her would be like trying to hold one of Earth's lightning bolts while wearing and iron suit. Looking up, he was about to bite out a sarcastic command when he looked into a pair of vibrant brown eyes. And for the first time in his life, he was struck speechless.  
  
He had always assumed that he hated green hair because of his cousin, but on this woman, he longed to run his hands through the hair that was tied on top of her head. The outfit she was wearing was that of a soldier, dark and terrifying. He then did something he hadn't in a while; he dropped his screwdriver, distracted.  
  
Finally he found his voice, looking up at the impatient women who was tapping her fingers on her hips while leveling an unamused stare at him. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" he asked. The fact that she had been able to get by his wards into the private appartments of the Royal Family was not an encouraging thought.  
  
She opened a glove palm, holding out a ring. The ring had a large ruby in it, and Saffir almost groaned as he recognized it. It was Rubeus' signet, and had been enchanted to allow the bearer free access to whatever parts of the Palace Rubeus himself was able to enter. Saffir made a mental note to let his cousin know that unexpected visiters were not welcome- suppose he had been working on some sensative equipment? He might have had the whole thing explode in his face!  
  
"Ok, so you're one of Rubeus' lackeys," he said bluntly. He recognized the attraction he felt towards her, and wasn't going to let it show.   
  
"Ayakashi Petz," she said stiffly. "But I'm not here about Rubeus. I'm here about my sister Beruche."  
  
He raised an eyebrow inquiringly. "I haven't seen her in a while." He picked up the screw driver again and focused his eyepiece on the microscopic screws, glad that his hands weren't trembling.  
  
"I know. She's upset about it," Petz said darkly, placing her hands on the desk, leaning threateningly towards him.  
  
He looked up at her, trying to ignore her the way her chest was heaving less then a foot from his face. His hormones were in overdrive. "Why?"  
  
Petz rolled her eyes upwards. "You really are a monster, aren't you? I've heard the rumors that the Blue Prince was an unfeeling monster, but I failed to believe. Huh. Guess I'll have to give rumors some more credit."  
  
"The Blue Prince?" he asked, wondering who she was referring to. There was only one Prince on Nemesis, and that was Demando.   
  
She glared at him like she was speaking to a stupid five-year-old. "I thought you were suppose to be intelligent. I was talking about you, baka. The people love Demando- they call him the White Prince. Those who've seen you call you the Blue Prince, since blue seems to be your color," she admitted, running her eyes over his deep blue jacket, eyes and hair. "You'd know that if you actually bothered to leave your rooms more often then once a month."  
  
Saffir was rather offended by the implication that he was never around- he left quite often, making sure Demando had no need of him. Still, a larger part of him was completely fascinated by this strange mixture of brashness and intelligence, for her eyes missed nothing. "I have no reason to do so," he said coolly. "I find that enough idiots come here to bother me without my actively having to go seek them."  
  
The insult was obvious, and Petz's eyes flashed angrily. She opened her mouth, moving it a few times as she tried to find an appropriate retort. Unable to come up with the words to express herself, she turned and stalked away on her high heels, the slight sway in her hips unconsciously provoking an uncomfortable reaction in a young man who was finally becoming aware of the fact that he couldn't ignore his body forever.  
  
Saffir, being Saffir, didn't apologize for their first meeting. Nor the second, which ended in Petz throwing a lightning bolt which he deflected easily. However, her use of magic against him earned her Demando's undying dislike, and Rubeus' undying approval.   
  
The two kept running into each other at irregular intervals, and Beruche despaired of her friend and her sister. Every time they met, sparks flew, sometimes literally. Petz had a very short temper, and Saffir had no idea how to deal with a woman he was attracted to. It was something entirely out of his realm of experience.   
  
The conquest of Earth continued, and finally they reached a point where they could honestly say they had all of North and South America, plus Europe to boot. The Sisters Ayakashi were the main Generals aside from Rubeus and Esmeraude, and most of the soldiers liked as well as feared them. Petz, as the eldest, seemed to take nominal command over her volatile sisters.  
  
Europe was finally judged safe enough for colonies to begin being established. Saffir eagerly read the news that came back from new outposts, hoping that he would someday be able to walk among the fragrant fields of Earth.  
  
It was his brother's idea. Saffir had just completed work on a mechanical that was the ancestor of the droido when he was summoned to Demando's study. Demando's study was still buried deep within the Royal Apartments, and only Saffir, Esmeraude and Rubeus were able to teleport directly to see their Prince.  
  
One did not keep Demando waiting. Saffir pulled his jacket on (there was no way he would carry it around in the fashion that Rubeus did), and quickly visualized the room his brother was in, allowing his magic to carry him there. He closed his eyes, hated the disorientation that teleporting caused.   
  
"Hello, ototochan," a voice said in an amused tone, the soft, yet strong, voice- Saffir's favorite thing to listen to. "I have some news for you."  
  
He opened his eyes and looked upon the visage of the White Prince of Nemesis himself. The years had treated Demando well, refining the ivory face into the epitome of male beauty. His white hair was stylishly brushing his cheeks, and his startling amethyst eyes looked warmly on his closest living relative. The purple depths captivated anyone who looked into them, and never let them go. Every woman who had ever laid eyes on the Prince was in love with him to some degree. And some men as well, for good measure.  
  
"News? From the battle lines?" he asked.  
  
"Close," Demando said with a patient smile. "Actually, it's from Europe. Our Outposts have been judged safe at last, brother mine. And I've decided that you've done enough for a while- you're starting to look worn around the edges." He paused, savoring Saffir's confused anticipation. "So I've decided to send you down to Earth... you can finally see your flowers, ototochan."  
  
Saffir fell to his knees in front of Demando, unable to think of anything to say. He felt the burn of unshed tears behind his eyes. "When do we leave?" he asked.  
  
He heard Demando sigh regretfully. "I can't leave, not now. I wish I could, but I must stay here and make sure the nobles don't try to arrange an "accident" for me- there are still a few left who would do that. Give me a year, and I will have no enemies left."  
  
Saffir understood- the grim grip of Nemesis was working on his brother. His brother's enemies would either convert or die. But for the sake of appearance, they couldn't be killed outright. "Then I will wait until you can accompany me, oniisan," he said.  
  
Demando smiled down gently. Saffir's voice sounded so very young, and it held the note of cheerfulness that had been missing for so many years. "No, brother-mine. You're going now."  
  
Saffir nodded his head glumly. "I'd rather go with you, though," he was unable to resist saying.  
  
"I know. But you can go now and relax- don't think I'm not aware of how poorly you sleep. This war takes its toll on all of us, you especially. Go, see your fields of flowers. If you want, consider it a reconnaissance for when you give me a tour," Demando said coaxingly.  
  
And that was that.  
  
Two days later, Saffir sat in the shuttle that would take him to Earth, tapping away at a portable computer. His eyes were so focused on the scrolling words that he didn't notice the woman who was standing in front of him until she reached out with a gloved hand and snatched the small computer away from him. He let out an involuntary squawk and looked up at the interloper.   
  
"Petz!" he exclaimed angrily. "What do you think you're doing? And more importantly, what they hell are you doing here in the first place?"  
  
She looked at the pad, trying to decipher the writing. "What IS this stuff?" she asked rhetorically, then shrugged as she pocketed the machine. "I'm here because you need a bodyguard on Earth, Saffir-sama," she said mockingly. "And I'm under orders to make sure you actually relax instead of stressing yourself out plotting some new-fangled weapon design."  
  
Saffir rolled his eyes. "They had to assign you? I'd rather have a Terran tarantula as a guard."  
  
"Apparently," she said through gritted teeth, taking the seat next to him with feline grace. She leveled an even stare on him. "So you're going to do your damnedest not to get yourself injured in the next week or so."  
  
He was unable to think up a suitable retort, so merely sat back in his chair and sulked. This is going to be a LONG week, he thought.  
  
END PART FIVE  
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Coming Soon:  
Part Six: War of the Black Moon  
-or-  
Enter the Wiseman 


	6. Enter the Wiseman

Part Six: Enter the Wiseman   
-or-  
War of the Black Moon  
  
***  
"Virgos tend to have a nervous nature."  
***  
  
Ami returned from the kitchen. Saffir's voice had grown dry and cracked, and it was obvious to her that he wasn't used to talking for extended amounts of time. She had gone to the kitchen to get something for them both to drink, glancing at the clock. It was approaching eleven o'clock, and she could tell this story would take much longer to complete. He was just getting to speaking of Petz, someone she knew had had close ties with him. Still, Ami was captivated.  
  
She handed him a glass of apple juice and resumed her seat across from him. Gratefully he sipped at it, smiling slightly as the sweet liquid soothed his parched throat. "This tastes wonderful," he said with a smile for Ami's benefit. "We don't have anything like this back on Nemesis, except what we imported."  
  
"Imported? You mean after the war?" she asked, trying to get a feel for the future that Saffir came from.  
  
"Iiee. There were always a few traders on Earth who would sell goods to us- usually at an ridiculous price. As Demando-sama's ototochan, I had access to more then most," Saffir finished.  
  
"So... Petz," Ami said hesitantly. "You were very rude to her when she came here."  
  
His eyes grew cold. "The Petz I knew would have handed me my head back on a platter, not run away. The time she's spent on Earth hasn't done much for her backbone. She used to be one of the strongest women I knew."  
  
"I think she still is," Ami said with a little bit of heat in her voice. "To leave everything you've ever known to start a new life on a different planet.... that requires courage."  
  
"Perhaps," Saffir said. "But she's still a traitor. And I'll never forgive her for turning her back on our family."  
  
About a dozen possible replies passed through Ami's mind at the time, none of them anything that would keep her on his good side. Her respect for the Black Moon kept plummeting, and she wondered what rock bottom would be. She feared she wouldn't like the answer. In a way, the Black Moon was worse then Beryl- Beryl at least had the excuse that she wasn't human. But the Black Moon was. She decided to change the subject to avoid unnecessary confrontation.  
  
"So you were making your first trip to Earth..." she prompted.  
  
"Hai... and it was then I learned several things that rather surprised me." His grin of somewhat self-mocking amusement surprised her.  
  
"Like what?" Ami couldn't resist asking.  
  
He chuckled low in his throat, a surprisingly pleasant sound. "Well, to start with, that no matter how brilliant I may be, I will never understand women."  
  
***  
There is seldom much room for emotional involvement with the Virgo because the mind is always engaged and dominant.  
***  
  
Saffir stretched as Petz skillfully piloted the shuttle to land on the surface of the Earth. His body was tense as he felt the small craft settle onto the ground. This was the culmination of a dream, something he almost hadn't dared hope for. Rising to his feet, he started to head for the doorway that would lead him to his much-cherished fields of flowers when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him.  
  
"Nani?" he snapped irritably to Petz, who was looking at him with amusement.  
  
"You'll need these," she said, sliding a pair of sunglasses onto to his face. "The light is brighter then anything you've ever been exposed to before, and you could damage your eyesight if you're not careful."  
  
He blinked a few times, trying to get used to looking through the world with a darkened glass between him and the rest of it. "Arigatou," he murmured. She flashed a hesitant smile in his direction and he was surprised that the thought of how cute she was crossed his mind. He quickly crushed the thought, resolutely focusing his mind on the sights he would soon be enjoying. "I don't suppose I can have my notepad back now?" he asked pointedly.  
  
She gave him a look of utter bafflement. "Saffir-sama, you're just about to see Terra for the first time and all you can think about is research?" she asked in a somewhat disgusted voice. She reached out into subspace and pulled out the pad she had snatched from him earlier. "Here you go. I hope it makes you happy," she finished, starting for the door, but hesitated when she saw a slight small dance across her liege's lips.  
  
"Iiee, Petz" he said, even her sour humor unable to dent his exceptionally good mood. "I'm making sure I remember EVERYTHING," he stressed. "I want to be able to tell my brother all about Terra, since he's not able to come yet."  
  
With a quick hand, she snatched the pad back. "Then put this away," she said. "Just enjoy the sights, and let things come naturally. You have an eidetic memory; there's no need to take notes. If you view this planet through scans, you'll be missing so much!" she pronounced.  
  
He looked down at her, surprised to see the passion flare in her face. She loved it here, he realized with a touch of shock. Already her foul disposition was lightening and a glimmer of joy entered her eyes. He decided he rather liked that look- it was rare for him to see anyone actually being happy.  
  
"You've been around often?" he asked.  
  
"Hai!" she affirmed, standing in the doorway.  
  
"Then since I'm only here for a little while, perhaps you'd only show me the really impressive sights?" he asked quietly.  
  
"You want me to be your tour guide?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"Since you're stuck with me anyway, might as well put your experience to good use," he said hesitantly.  
  
The shine in her eyes grew more pronounced, and he could have sworn she started blushing. "Hai, Saffir-sama. Let's start by getting something to eat. They have the most wonderful bakery around here..." she began as she proceeded him down the ramp.  
  
The light that greeted his eyes, protected though they were by the sunglasses that Petz had thoughtfully provided, was more intense then anything he had ever imagined. She smiled at him hesitantly, gently resting a gloved hand on his arm. "It is rather bright, isn't it?" she asked.  
  
He nodded, inhaling deeply. The air was so fresh, and the verdant field she had chosen as their landing site was a stunning revelation for a man who had never seen such fine examples of plant life. "I think I could stay here forever," he said, a smile tracing his face. He was completely unaware of how beautiful that made him.  
  
She looked at him. "How about we go to that bakery I mentioned and get some food, then we can have a picnic?"  
  
The idea seemed like a brilliant one to him. "That sounds wonderful," he agreed easily.  
  
Her grip tightened on his arm and she teleported them both to the location of a fine French bakery. Around them space cleared when the residents noticed the branding on their foreheads. A quiet murmuring as they started to bow, but Saffir waved them off, uncomfortable with such formality. "I thought the Terrans had a little more spirit," he said, as one coward back from him.  
  
"Most of them do, but these are some that have run into Rubeus. Rubeus can beat the spirit out of anyone he doesn't like," she said.  
  
He listened to the slight derision in her voice. "You don't like my esteemed cousin?" he asked.  
  
There was wariness in her voice before she answered. "There's other people I like better," she confessed after thinking for a second.  
  
His opinion of her rose a few notches. Anyone who didn't like Rubeus had to have some merits.   
  
Together they went into the bakery. The man behind the counter perked up when he saw Petz, but then his eyes cloudy over with apprehension when Saffir followed her in. "Greetings, Petz-sama," the somewhat overweight Terran said. "What can I do for you today?"  
  
"I would very much like some fresh bread, some of your home made butter, and ask your lovely wife if she would be kind enough to run to the market to pick me out the makings of a picnic lunch, especially lemonade," Petz answered.  
  
Saffir sniffed the interesting aromas as they waited for the rest of the food to be brought back. Petz picked up one delicacy and handed it over to him. "Try this. You haven't lived until you've tried a chocolate croissant," she said.  
  
He gave her a dubious look, but bit into it, and his eyes widened. "This is wonderful," he agreed, savoring the slightly warm treat.   
  
"There's a few other things here that are well worth the calories," she said. "In fact, most everything here is excellent- it's one of the best bakeries around. I'm very glad we didn't destroy it."  
  
Saffir noticed how the man behind the counter stiffened when she said that carelessly. "Did we destroy a lot?" he asked curiously.  
  
She sighed slightly. "More then was necessary- but the Terrans have come to heel much more quickly because of it," she said.  
  
Finally the baker's wife returned, and gave the duo a basket full of goods. Petz smiled and handed over some money, then turned to explain. "Some of our soldiers don't pay, but I get better service because I do," she told the Blue Prince.   
  
"I'm sure you do," he said.  
  
"Where do you want to picnic?" she asked.  
  
"Somewhere with flowers," he said wistfully.  
  
She looked at him, her eyes strangely amused. "As my liege commands," she said easily, teleporting them both to a remote field. With a smile, she sat down, stretching her legs. He sank down beside her, carefully removing his gloves from his hands so he could touch the fresh grass and flowers with no barrier. "We should have brought a blanket to sit on," she complained, looking at the dirt around her.  
  
"No," he disagreed. "This is perfect."  
  
They conversed quietly, each eating heartily until only dessert was left. With a smile, Petz reached into the basket and pulled out a small bag. "These are my absolute favorite," she confessed, handing him a cookie.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Double chocolate chip cookies- apparently a Terran classic. I really wish we had chocolate on Nemesis. I can't understand how I managed to survive this long without it."  
  
Taking a bite, he closed his eyes in pleasure. "I can see how you say that," he said.  
  
Petz smiled, then before he realized what was happening, she was sitting next to him, her hand on his chest. "Do you know they say chocolate is an aphrodisiac?" she asked.  
  
He shook his head, unable to find anything to say.  
  
Then she leaned forward and kissed him.  
  
***  
More concerned with the outcome than the process, Virgos lack spontaneity.  
***  
  
After that, things became even more complicated for Saffir.  
  
Besides planning attacks, preparing weapons, and dabbling (albeit unwillingly) with politics, he had to deal with having a lover as well. And Petz was a high-maintenance one.  
  
They still fought like cats and dogs. Petz was jealous and possessive, something that was not good when one considered that Demando, the White Prince himself, considered Saffir his exclusive property. Petz irritated Saffir by dragging him away from his work, while he drove her up the wall by forgetting about time and getting lost in his work. Still, he never did sleep beside her. He never could bring himself to trust her that much- a small part of his mind was convinced that she was a plant Rubeus had set up to destroy him.  
  
The conquest of Earth continued. Finally they were on the point of ultimate success- only Crystal Tokyo was left. Still, every time Saffir started in on the calculations for fighting that last Bastion, he ended up with answers he didn't like. Petz tried to distract him from his frustration, but had little success. Finally his unrest was noticed even by Demando himself.  
  
Demando was sitting in his study, sipping at a glass of wine from the vineyards of California- a wine that had a pleasant, although somewhat foxy, taste to it. He looked at his younger brother, who was tapping away at a pad, trying to find the right words. "Saffir-kun," he said finally, having worked out this conversation already in his mind.  
  
Saffir stopped his worked, looking up to meet his brother's purple eyes. "Hai, oniisan?" he asked submissively.  
  
"Tell me about your plans for the attack of Crystal Tokyo," he said.  
  
If Demando hadn't been watching, he would have missed it. Saffir's eyes narrowed and his lips thinned in frustration, very small signs, but for Demando, who knew how much his brother hated showing emotion, it was enough. "It isn't going well?"  
  
Saffir sighed. "Time and time again I run into the same problem- the ginzuishou. The Outer Senshi are gone, but to KEEP them gone is a taxing exercise on Rubeus, Esmeraude and myself- we're lacking a bit of our power. The Inner Senshi can be countered by the Uncanny Sisters, but that still leaves Endymion and his Queen, both of whom possess talents and powers that would overwhelm us by themselves- if they fought together, they might well be able to fling our entire invasion force off the planet."  
  
The Prince's eyes looked grim as he considered the possibilities. "What if you were able to add another sorcerer who was more powerful then Esmeraude is at her best?"  
  
"Then we could likely be able to neutralize the Neo Queen long enough to throw the battle in our favor. But that's impossible. The only sorcerer who is stronger then Esmeraude is you-" Saffir's eyes widened as he realized what Demando was hinting at. "You CAN'T!" he said. "Onegai! You're the Prince- we CAN'T send you into battle!"  
  
The Prince smiled at his brother lovingly. "Your concern for me always touches my heart, but this time, I'm going to have to overrule you. Besides, there's someone I want you to meet," he said. "Enter, Wiseman!" the Prince said in a commanding voice.  
  
Saffir gasped as a cowled figure rose out of the floor, flickering with prismatic colors. Between his rapidly shifting hands levitated a seer's globe, and Saffir tried to keep his shudder from being noticeable. What really bothered him was that he couldn't make out the creature's face- and Saffir thought creature was the right word. He seriously doubted it was truly human.   
  
"Meet the Wiseman," Demando said softly. "He's a powerful seer, and with his help, I have determined how to neutralize the Neo Queen and her blasted ginzuishou."  
  
"Oniisan!" Saffir said, unable to think up a more lucid protest. All he could think was that this was a bad idea, and that trusting the creature in front of them was a mistake. "What is this plan?" Saffir asked finally, kicking his mind into gear.  
  
Demando smiled like a cat about to indulge in an overflowing bowl of cream. "The jakokuzuishou," he said.  
  
"No!" Saffir snapped. "That jewel is dangerous!"  
  
The jakokuzuishou was a towering column of a gemstone no one had ever been able to identify. Saffir had studied it briefly, and concluded that it was some kind of carbon-based material that had the last level of electrons elevated. It was a powerful magic material- too powerful. No magician had succeeded in tapping into it yet without be fried in the process.  
  
Demando's face lost its smile. "Trust me, ototochan," he said. He held out his hands and showed Saffir a pair of delicate earrings that were in them. "The problem whenever someone tried to tap into the jakokuzuishou was that they were using the entire jewel, and overloading themselves. These shards are safe to use- they contain only a fraction of the power, but it's still enough to be of considerable use. The Wiseman made eight pairs for me. I figure you, me, Esmeraude, Rubeus and the Four Sisters would be the most advantageous way to distribute them." The Prince slid his earrings in, and the brushed his cheeks as he tilted his head, smiling eagerly. With a gesture, he summoned another pair. "These are for you. With this extra power, I want you to have an attacked planned for next week."  
  
Saffir glared angrily. "This is NOT a good idea! I REFUSE to wear those!" he said.   
  
Demando gave him a cold look. "I can't force you to. But I want you to plan an attack. By this time next week, Crystal Tokyo will be rubble." Then he turned and stalked out of the room, leaving Saffir alone with the newest ally of the Black Moon Family.  
  
"I trust you as far as I can throw you, Wiseman. Watch your back- because I'll be watching you as well," Saffir said in a harsh voice.  
  
The Wiseman spoke for the first time. "I will enjoy the challenge," he said as he started to sink into the floor. "That way, victory will be all that much sweeter."  
  
***  
Virgos love to have everything just right, and they hate muddle and inefficiency.  
***  
  
Saffir planned the attack.  
  
It was no surprise- much as he disagreed with his brother's faith in the Wiseman, he couldn't deny Demando anything that he wanted. It was against his nature- what Demando wanted, Demando got.  
  
All the other members of the of the Black Moon Family who were offered earrings accepted them. Saffir almost managed to convince Petz that wearing them was a bad idea, but she finally decided that she didn't want her sisters to be more powerful then she was. Petz was, after all, Oneesan, and had a status to protect. He was upset with her decision and lack of trust in him, but not truly surprised.  
  
Saffir noted that those who wore the earrings with fragments of jakokuzuishou crystal to have their negative qualities accentuated. The Ayakashi sisters, who had always been close, fell into major quarrels with each other over the pettiest of things, Rubeus became even more sadistic, while Esmeraude became even vainer, if that was possible. Even Demando seemed affected by the gems, his obsession with conquering the Earth almost frightening in its intensity. Saffir wisely kept his mouth shut, though, wondering how much influence the Wiseman actually had over his family.  
  
To his surprise, the actual attack went off without too many flaws- except for two. The flaws, though, were major. The first was the Inner Senshi. Jupiter, Venus, Mars and Mercury did not come out to face the sisters the way he had planned. Rather, they rushed the Princess away, hiding her far from their reach, deep into the vast reaches of time. Sailor Pluto was said to be able to control Portal, and the stronger members of the Black Moon family felt her open the time gates for the first time in over a millenium. But this didn't happen until after the second major problem happened.  
  
The second was the Neo Queen herself. Rather then using the ginzuishou, as he had expected, she came out defenseless and stood in the field, watching as the ships descended on her beloved city. And that was the biggest flaw in the attack, for Demando was the one who had to bring her down.  
  
If she had fought back, he would have seen her as the enemy. If she would have wielded the enormous power that the ginzuishou represented, he would have been more concerned with defeating then seeing her.   
  
But she came out, alone and defenseless.  
  
Around them, the battle seemed to ebb, as the universe held its breath for this moment. Serenity looked up, her sweet blue eyes sadly tracking his descent. Without remorse, he slammed her with the full force of his power.   
  
Then the Seishi appeared, seemingly from no where, and exercised a power no one knew they had. Each of the Inner Senshi cast forth her energy, wrapping Serenity up in a crystal that reflected it the brilliant powers that the Inners carried inside their souls. When the light settled enough for ordinary eyes to look on it, Demando drew back.  
  
Neo Queen Serenity has been suspended in time. She lay in a casket of crystal, her hands laid across her breast, a serene expression on her face. Demando pulled up short and stared down, and everything went still. No one moved, no one spoke, until a shrill voice broke out. "MOMMY!" From within her, a light burst forth, and the Black Moon Forces recognized it for what it was. For some reason, Neo Queen Serenity had passed her precious crystal to her daughter.  
  
A small child with pink hair raced out, reaching for the crystal. The Seishi with dark hair caught her hand. "No, Small Lady!" she said urgently, tugging the screaming child away. Demando's eyes lingered on the stricken Neo Queen, but he turned his attention from her long enough to begin to pursue the small child and claim the prize she held.  
  
"No!" a voice said, and Demando was confronted by the man who was married to the woman he had just brutally attacked. The Neo King stood, holding out his staff. His eyes were hard and cold, and Demando was surprised to see absolute hatred for him- this went beyond anything he could justify. If he didn't know better, Demando would have said that Endymion was... jealous?  
  
The staff began to glow with a golden light, and Demando reached inside himself, touching the power that was the Pellucid Throne. His pink aura flared around him, and his hair stood on end.   
  
The men faced off.  
  
Calaveras and Beruche broke off battle and started to race to back their sovereign. Petz and Cooan were busy attempting to subdue a few groups of Terrans who continued to fight, Terrans who had regained strength after watching their Goddess fall. Rubeus and Esmeraude were with Saffir in the control room, powerless to help. The Sisters Ayakashi would be too late to help; this would be a battle between the King of Earth and the Prince of Nemesis, winner take all.  
  
Endymion made the first strike, launching forth a golden missile that looked sort of like Venus' Crescent Bean attack, yet was a hundred times more deadly. Demando formed a shield, holding out his hands. The attack deflected harmlessly to the sky.  
  
Demando's cape lifted off his shoulder and began to wave dramatically in the wind as he prepared to make his strike. Taking out Serenity had cost him much of his power reserves, and he was on the verge of collapse, though he wasn't about to let anyone know. His eyes brightened and he spread his fingers, willing everything he had.  
  
Endymion raised his staff to block, but it was at that moment that the Time Gate opened, distracting him for a vital second.   
  
Reeling backwards from the deadly magic, the Lord of Earth crumpled to his knees. "Small Lady," he whispered, then vanished.  
  
Calaveras and Beruche reached Demando in time to grasp his arms, giving him much needed support. "We've WON!" Calaveras said.  
  
Demando blinked, unable to believe it. Beruche smiled eagerly, and opened her mouth to add her congratulations. Before she could do so, though, the Crystal Palace lit up, and the casket that contained the sleeping Empress disappeared much the same way her husband had vanished moments prior.   
  
Four columns of light ascended towards the sky from the heart of the Crystal Palace, and the Nemesians watched in horrified fascination as a magical force-field was created around the heart of Crystal Tokyo. "What is that?" Beruche whispered.  
  
In the control room, Saffir pressed his hands against the window, cursing. The Inner Senshi had obviously established a protective field, but how long would they hold it? And for what purpose? Their rulers were as good as dead.  
  
Behind him, he heard the Wiseman swear vehemently, and it caused him a slight shiver of fear. He had never before heard of the Wiseman sound so angry, and he wondered why he felt a premonition of disaster.  
  
An hour later all the principles were assembled in the Throne Room. Demando sat upon the Pellucid Throne, an abstract expression on his face. Esmeraude paced back and forth, her heels clicking loudly. The Sisters Ayakashi were bickering, as usual, about who was to blame. Rubeus was watching Demando with narrowed eyes, while the Wiseman lurked in his usual corner, keeping his attention divided between Demando, Saffir, and his crystal ball.  
  
Saffir finally dared to break the silence. "Oniisan?" he said.  
  
The others looked at him, and the Uncanny Sisters stopped their fighting, though Cooan kicked Petz one last time for good measure.  
  
Demando looked up. "What is it, Saffir?"  
  
"What do we do now?" he asked in a quiet voice.  
  
Demando looked at his loyal subjects. "Exactly what happened?" he demanded.  
  
Saffir rubbed his forehead. "The Senshi put up a barrier that prevents us from taking the Crystal Palace. The Time Gate itself opened- I never believed that Sailor Pluto would do such a thing," he grumbled.  
  
"What happened to the ginzuishou?" Demando asked.  
  
"The Rabbit has it- Small Lady Usagi Serenity," the Wiseman said. "The only way to break through the barrier is to retrieve her and force her to give it up."  
  
"But she went through time!" Esmeraude protested. "You think Sailor Pluto is going to let us go through the Time Warp with a 'fare thee well?'"  
  
The Wiseman ignored her, focusing his attention on the Prince. "We need not use the time warp," he said. "We can create our own time portal. Those of Nemesis have always had an affinity for time, as has been proven recently."  
  
The Sisters fell into confused mumbles, but Saffir was unable to believe it when Demando nodded. "It sounds feasible," he mused.  
  
Rubeus wasn't about to be left out. "Perhaps we can weaken the defense in another way- how about attacking the very foundation of Crystal Tokyo while we're there? Then we can triggered the defects now and boom! Sayonara, Crystal Tokyo!"  
  
Saffir looked at Rubeus with disgust. Messing with time wasn't that simple. "Rubeus-" he began, getting ready to lambast his cousin's lame-brain plan, but was interrupted.  
  
"Indeed. Saffir, Get to work on the Portal. Rubeus, take the Ayakashi Sisters and start to prepare. I want this carried out within the week."  
  
Saffir looked at Demando, prepared to argue, but there was something in those purple eyes that waned him that his words would be met with, at best, an acidic counterorder.  
  
Biting his lip, he teleported to his lab and started his computers working on the physics he needed to know about in order to create a portal that would move people through time.  
  
***  
FLOWERS: Morning Glories and Pansies.  
***  
  
  
He felt, more then heard, the presence of another being in the room with him. Rubbing his tired eyes, he turned around to see Calaveras standing, watching him work. She had one hand poised on her hip, while the other held her whip loosely. She was watching him with a slight smile on her lips, like a cat watching a canary.  
  
Of all the Sisters, she was the one who made him the most uneasy. Cooan was easily understood, Beruche often lost herself in a world of academia that was similar to the one he lived and, and Petz was his lover. Calaveras had the strongest rivalry with Petz, and it was plain to see that she wanted everything of her sister's. Sometimes she would blantantly come onto him, while other times she would play cool.  
  
"Saffir-sama," she said, rolling his name slightly, as though she was savoring the taste of it, "Demando-sama has summoned you to his court," she said. Her smile was cat-like, and he felt very much like a dish of cream.   
  
Hitting the save command, he rose to his feet. Calaveras stood uncomfortably close as he started towards the door. "Yes?" he asked pointedly.  
  
"I'm to escort you, Aoi Ojisama," she teasingly whispered, moving her lush body so that she was standing close enough to lick his face.   
  
She'd done that once before- lick his face, that is. She and Cooan seemed to get an unholy delight from tormenting and flirting with him, much to Petz's disgust and outrage. She had marked him as hers, and her sisters weren't respecting that. "That's not nessessary." He quickly moved out of the room and rushed down the hallways to Demando's throne room.  
  
Saffir entered the room, standing in the shadows. A hologram floated in mid-air, a monument of white and gold feminine beauty. The white light cast eerie Shadows across the Prince of Nemesis' face, and Saffir shuddered at the enthralled look in his older brother's purple eyes. "You summoned me?" Saffir asked.  
  
Demando's eyes remained fastened on the woman. "She's so beautiful, isn't she?"  
  
"I guess," Saffir said quietly, concerned. He really couldn't understand Demando's fascination with the Neo-Queen. "She's the enemy, though," he ventured carefully.  
  
Demando's eyes narrowed dangerously. "It doesn't matter- she WILL be mine. She will no longer be the enemy once she is my wife."  
  
Saffir felt his jaw drop. "WIFE?!" he howled, for the first time losing his temper with his older brother. "What do you NOT understand?! She is the enemy- she is the one who banished our ancestors here. Why the hell do you think she'll love you? Why the hell would you WANT her to? And what right do you have to bring her here and contaminate the Royal Family?"  
  
Then Demando did something that was simply unbelievable to his younger brother. Around him, his aura flared, and before Saffir knew what was happening, he found himself launched to the other side of the room by a relatively weak energy bolt.  
  
Saffir stared in stunned amazement as his brother rose to his imperial feet. "How dare you question my word? I am the Prince of Nemesis- not you. I am the one who shall lead our people off of this dark world- not you. You are my servant, my tool, and don't you EVER forget that, Saffir! I have determined that taking the Neo Queen as my wife is the best road, and once she bears my child, succession is assured.  
  
"You don't want the throne, do you? Do you honestly think that you are strong enough to hold the Pellecid Throne? Do you honestly think that your spirit is strong enought hat you won't be dominated by the rulers of the past? Do you honestly think you have the power to rule, that the people won't object? Go back to your books, Saffir. Go back until you are ready to serve again." With that, Demando vanished, teleporting away from his brother.  
  
Saffir sat huddled on the floor, his knees pulled in close to his chest. How it hurt! The physical pain was minor, but for the first time, Demando has raised a hand against him. For so long, he had been able to count on Demando to be there... Demando was the world, and the world had turned its back on him. Shutting his eyes, he fought hard to suppress the tears the threatened to leak out of the corner of his eyes. He hugged his legs close to his chest as he tried to decide what to do.  
  
Should he find Demando, and apologize? No, that would only enrage his brother even further, and that was something he could not afford to do. His brother did not appreciate weakness.  
  
Lifting his head, Saffir glared at the hologram of the Neo Queen which floated. This was all her fault. SHE was the one who had exiled their people here.... SHE ewas the one who hadn't attacked when she should have..... SHE was the one with whom Demando had become infatuated. Saffir refused to call it love; love had to be developed. Saffir doubted Demando would ever love anyone- possess, yes, but never love.  
  
A frightening truth. Did Demando care for him? Saffir wondered. He was still slightly dizzy from being thrust across the room, and his head hurt. He wanted nothing more then to go and lie down, but he couldn't. He had work to do.  
  
Still, rather then getting up, he sat still, emptying his mind of thoughts. He had never just done nothing before ands it was a novel experience.  
  
"So the Prince has cast you aside, has he?" a voice asked mockingly.  
  
With the instinct of a cornered animal, Saffir vaulted upright, a pale ball of blue energy sparking at his fingertips. Then he saw it was the Wiseman. "We merely had a misunderstanding!" he stated fiercely.  
  
The Wiseman's chuckle was horrid. It cracked, and reminded Saffir for the sound of a casket being closed for the final time. "Truly? That implies that you understood each other in the first place," he whispered.  
  
Saffir lost his temper and threw the ball of blue energy with great force. It crackled and hit the Wiseman's crystal ball, and was absorbed. "Damn you!"  
  
"I've already been damned," the Wiseman returned. "That was a very powerful bolt you just threw at me.... do you truly wish me dead?"  
  
"I wish you gone! If it's the last thing I do, I'll show my brother the truth about you!" Saffir vowed passionately.  
  
"You don't even know the truth," the Wiseman murmured as he sank into the floor.  
  
Saffir watched as he left.  
  
A week later, Saffir had prepared the Portal. Petz, her sisters, and Rubeus were to go and collect the Rabbit and capture the Crystal Points. If they succeeded, they would be able to collapse the shield the Senshi had placed around the sleeping Queen, and win the war.  
  
Saffir wasn't sure how he felt about that. Part of his mind screamed that they were dancing dangerously close to creating a paradox. Temporal mechanics weren't easily understood, and he was worrriied that they might inadvertantly wipe themselves out of existence. Still, it was what Demando wanted, and it would get Petz out of his hair. They'd been together for too long, and Saffir had no clue how to break off the relationship.  
  
He went to see her the night before she left. She had been in her room, packing carefully. A hugde bag of clothing and make-up products sat on her bed, and he sighed. She was distracted; that could be a good or bad thing. It would either keep her from frying him, or shorten her already legendary temper.   
  
"Petz?"  
  
She turned and focused on him. The shards of the jakokuzuishou swung against her cheeks gracefully, and he repressed a shudder of revulsion. Now was not the time to begin arguing. "Yes, Saffir?" she asked. "I have to finish packing."  
  
"I know. I just..."  
  
"...wanted to say good-bye?" she asked, a predatorial expression flashing in her eyes. She moved towards him like a panther, wrapping herself around him.   
  
He shoved her away as she raised her face for a kiss. "No. I came to tell you we're through." He spoke in a monotone, as though it didn't matter to him.  
  
"WHAT?" she shrieked, her voice piercing his ears.  
  
"I wish to terminate our relationship."  
  
She blinked. "Where the HELL did this come out of Saffir?"  
  
"There are many reasons, but the principle is that you don't trust me."  
  
"I do, too!" she argued. Her face was pale from lack of blood.   
  
"Then take of the earrings."  
  
She flinched. "I can't do that! You know I need them to focus my power."  
  
Saffir shook his head. "Then we're through." He quickly teleported away before she could regain enough of her equilibrium to get even. He didn't want to make a scene.  
  
The next day he opened the Portal to 1993 AD, hooking it into Rubeus' flag ship. Watching as Rubeus made the first transition, carrying away the Ayakahi sisters, he felt unbearably alone.  
  
  
END PART SIX  
Now be a good read and FEEEEED the author!  
  
Up Next: Kiss me  
-or-  
The Pellucid Throne  
  
  



	7. Into the Black Crystal

Quicksilver's Quill Offers:  
Virgo  
mbsilvana@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko Takeuchi.  
Do not post this anywhere without permission from the author.  
NOTE: Been a while, but I'm going to finish this sucker! There are three more chapters and an epilogue after this part. ^_^ There's probably some writing style differences throughout this section as parts of it were written four years ago...

  


Earlier parts available: 

Part Seven: Into the Black Crystal

-or- 

The Sword of Damocles

  


***

Mizuno Ami's Birthday: September 10

***

  


"And the rest you know," Saffir said, finally coming to the end of his rather long tale.

  


Ami said for a second, attempting to digest the information overload she had just received, without much success. "The Uncanny Sisters, Rubeus.... then Esmeraude," she whispered. "All of them came and battled us, and we won." She clenched her hands tightly enough that her knuckles turned white.

  


He nodded. "And then me, in my own way- you have faced the best the Black Moon Family has to offer, and yet you still stand."

  


"Perhaps it's merely luck," she said.

  


"No, it's not that. It's the fact that when I look at you, you shine." He glanced away, before looking back at her. "You reflect a light that warms the soul, and it's a light that can't be quenched by our petty darkness."

  


A blush traced her delicate features. "I think we all shine in our own ways," she told him gently. An awkward silence hung in the air between them for a minute or two before Ami spoke again. "We'd better be getting to bed- tomorrow promises to be a long day. Good night, Saffir-san." She quietly went to her room.

  


"Goodnight, Mizuno-san," he said to the door that shut behind her. Mizuno Ami had seemed at a loss for how to comfort him, but she had tried. There was something reassuring about being near her - he hadn't lied when he told her she shined.

  


Were my people ever like that? He wondered.

  


Saffir lay down on the sofa bed, slipping into his dreams, dreams which were made all the more vivid by his recent recounting of his past. He hated to dream, hated it almost as much as he detested sleeping. His mild gift of prophecy always made for interesting visions, and half the time it frightened him. Sometimes the images he dreamt were merely the products of his own overactive imagination; other times they were actual glimpses into the future. He wished he had the ability to tell which was which, but he was only a minor seer, not a powerful one. He had received no training, which was a pity. Maybe if he had, he would have been prepared for the Wiseman.

  


His dream was not a comforting one.

***

"Virgos are better as subordinates than leaders."

***

  


_He stood in his lab, waiting. Before him lay the components of a droido, one he had never completed. He had based her design off of a twentieth century car; Esmeraude had said something about an auto shop possibly being the site of one of the negative points. He had decided that the most logical action would be to disguise the droido who would guard the Wedge as a mechanic, and give it powers accordingly. Droido Tireda would be quick and use many of the tools of her trade._

  


_ "Still at your work, brother?"_

  


_ Saffir turned to see his oniisan, the White Prince, enter. Demando rarely ventured into the depths of Saffir's lab, finding the place unfamiliar and disorientating. He had never come out and stated that, but Saffir knew his brother's penchant for being in charge, and this was Saffir's domain. Demando ruled the courts; Saffir ruled the labs. "I'm always at work, oniisan," he stated. He set down scalpel, turning to give his brother his attention. "Did you want something?_

  


_ Demando came to look at the droido, raising its hand. "She's beautiful... but like them all, she'll fail," he said. He pressed his lips against its pale kncukles in a courtly kiss._

  


_ "One of them will succeed!" Saffir insisted._

  


_ Demando sighed, before dropping the droido's hand. It fell, swinging limping in the manner only the lifeless could manage. "Saffir, it's dead already," he said softly, whipping the sheet back to reveal Esmeraude's face. She looked as though she was sleeping, except for the blood which started to pool on the floor beneath their shoes._

  


_ Saffir staggered to her in horror, not sure what to do. "Niisan..." he whispered._

  


_ "Nothing gold can stay," Demando said. "She was beautiful, though, wasn't she?"_

  


_ "She loved you more than anything..."_

  


_ "She loved me best, better than any of you," Demando replied. His fingers tangled in the vibrant green hair, and he studied her sadly. "It would have been so much easier if I could have loved her in return... perhaps then none of this would have happened."_

  


_ Saffir thought of the golden queen, trapped in her crystalline sleep, and was forced to agree. "Perhaps. But she wasn't what you wanted. If you want Serenity, we'll get her for you." Then what Demando had said a moment before registered. "And... I love you, niisan. You're the most important thing in the world to me."_

  


_ "For now. That will change, someday." Demando smiled. "What did the philosophers say about love?"_

  


_ "That brotherly love is the strongest!" Saffir said, leaning forward to catch Demando's free hand. He had to take another step, and Esmeraude's blood made his feet stick to the floor. _

  


_ "Then why is it passion that drives people to murder? How is Serenity another Helen, whose face launched a thousand ships?" Demando asked softly. He freed his hands from both Esmeraude's hair and Saffir's grip, and stepped away. His long satin cape dragged on the floor, and the blood crept up it.He turned to leave the lab, but Saffir wasn't about to let him go._

  


_ He grabbed for Demando's cloak, but it slipped through his fingers, like his brother had so many times in the past. Demando was just too perfect, too beyond Saffir's reach, for Saffir to ever be allowed to hold onto. "Demando!"_

  


_ Demando glanced back at him, then down at his chest. "Nothing gold can stay," he whispered._

  


_ Saffir's eyes widened in horror as he realized that the blood he was standing in wasn't Esmeraude's. It was Demando's._

  


_ "Niisan!" he whispered in horror._

  


_ Demando turned back to him, his violet eyes gentle. "You're my blood, Saffir. When I bleed, so do you." Then he smiled and sank to the floor, and seemed strangely calm, considering his chest was leaking away his life's blood._

  


_ "No!" Saffir said, wondering what was happening, but then there was Serenity, kneeling beside Demando, and brushing back his white hair from his eyes. Her pristine gown remained untainted by the blood, too much blood for one man, that flowed from him. Demando smiled at her, leaning his head back in her lap before shutting his eyes._

  


_ She looked at Saffir, and he saw Sailor Moon in the ageless queen's eyes, reflecting compassion and strength. "He bleeds for your people, Saffir-san," she said softly._

  


_ "Heal him, then!"_

  


_ "He chose this," she replied. "And the one who inflicted this wounds is strong. I can't fight this battle... only Demando can, and he's winning."_

  


_ "He's dying!" Saffir shot back angrily._

  


_ "There's worse things than death," Serenity returned. "Oblivion.. Nothingness.... despair..."_

  


_ Saffir clenched his hands, staring at his brother's pale face. "Who did this?" he demanded. _

  


_ "You know."_

  


_ "I know...." Saffir nodded, and his head hurt. He felt his own tears start to flow unchecked down his face. "I..."_

  


_ "You need to sleep, Saffir-san. This is what might be, but tomorrow is the battle...." Serenity whispered to him. Her slender hand brushed his face, and she spoke in a hypnotic voice. "Sleep deeper, and dream no more tonight...."_

  


_ As she spoke, a wave of nothingness consumed him._

  


***

Virgos are forever the butt of jokes for being so picky and critical, but their 'attention to detail' is for a reason: to help others.

  


***

  


The dawn had finally come. Ami's eyelashes fluttered a few times before she entirely came to. She loved mornings, but getting out of her bed was never her favorite activity. Usually she would lie for a few minutes to gather her thoughts and plan her day, but today wasn't an ordinary day. The Crystal in the center of the city was growing, and the time for action had come. 

  


On quiet feet she moved to the kitchen and started to brew some tea. Her mother often worked the night shift, so Ami had become accustom to moving silently. Placing the kettle over the flame, she smiled slightly. They had stayed up way too late last night, but now she felt she could fight this battle. The enemy wasn't the Nemisians; it was a demon, a monster that wasn't human. 

  


She waited in the kitchen for a few minutes, smiling as the kettle finally whistled its protest. With deft hands she removed it from the heat, pouring it over some teabags into two mugs. She pulled out a tray and quickly cut up a grapefruit and tossed a few muffins on it. Then she carried it out to the living room where Saffir was still sleeping.

  


He looked about fifteen years old in his sleep, the deep blue bangs falling charmingly across his eyes. He was curled up around a pillow, and Ami giggled to herself. He looked so sweet and innocent- it was hard to believe that he was the main tactician for an army.

  


Before her thoughts could darken, she set the tray down beside the game of chess they had never finished playing. "Saffir-san," she said quietly, walking towards him quietly to wake him. She reached out a hand to shake him by the shoulder, but never got the chance to finish the gesture.

  


Saffir bolted upright, snagging her by the wrist in a bruising grip. His blue aura flared around him, and Ami gasped. He shook his head, releasing her. "Sorry, Ami-chan," he said. "Habit. It's not a good idea to try to wake me up." His head was fuzzy with a half-remembered dream, but as Ami stared at him, it faded away, no more substantial than the morning mist.

  


She nodded dumbly, then forced a smile onto her face. "We should eat. I hope you like grapefruit and muffins." 

  


He gave her a tired look in return. He really hadn't had enough sleep, but they both realized that they would be on the move soon. "I've never had them," he said.

  


Ami blushed. She had again forgotten that the man was not a native of earth. "Well, I like them. They're popular breakfast foods." She handed him a spoon and one of the grapefruit halves with amusement. "You have to eat this carefully, or else it'll squirt you in the eye."

  


He gave it a dubious look. "You make it sound like it's almost alive."

  


She laughed. "Sometimes I think it is- otherwise how could it always hit you in the eye and no where else?" She picked up her one half, and with a dainty scoop, cut a piece of the pink fruit free.

  


Saffir watched how she handled it carefully before managing to get a piece free. Taking a bite, his lips puckered and he glared at her. 

  


She couldn't help it; Ami started to laugh, which only earned her an even more evil frown.

  


"It's sour!" he exclaimed after a second.

  


"But I bet it woke you up, ne?" she teased, still giggling as she took another bite.

  


He looked like he wanted to throttle her for her bad idea of a joke. "On Nemesis, most food is very bland. I'm not used to extremes in taste."

  


She looked apologetic. "Sorry, but I just couldn't resist- it comes from hanging out with Sailor Moon and the others."

  


He smiled, forgiving her. "It's ok.... it's nice to see someone laugh. People rarely laugh on Nemesis." He picked up his spoon again and dared another bite. "It grows on you," he said.

  


They finished their breakfast quickly, and Ami took the dishes back to the kitchen while Saffir stretched slowly, relieved to find all the damage the Wiseman had done had apparently healed. There was something to be said for magical healing abilities. Ami came back into the room, and he turned to look at her. "Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked, remembering how young she was.

  


She shook her head. "No- I checked on the radio and they cancelled all schools on account of that Crystal. People are scared of it, and no one is to be out without a good reason."

  


"I think we have good enough reason. What time are we suppose to meet the Senshi?" he asked.

  


"Nine. We're going to attempt to find some way into the Black Crystal."

  


Saffir glanced at the clock on the wall. "We have half an hour. We probably should leave. Should you change?"

  


"Hai- I don't want the police grabbing me." With a shy smile she produced her henshin stick, and held it aloft. "Mercury Star Power, Make-Up!" she exclaimed, and then was engulfed in a flood of water.

  


Saffir watched as her clothes dissolved, and was fascinated. He had heard that his droidos had always let the Senshi transform before attacking, and he finally understood why. There was an aura of power and beauty about the process, something that made one just hold their breath, waiting to see what would happen.

  


For a moment, he suddenly realized how far out of their depths Nemesis was. The Seishi didn't merely control their element; they became it.... Ami -no, Mercury- WAS water and ice. Blue on blue... he watched at the fuku finished forming over her well-curved body.

  


Sailor Mercury struck her final pose, then looked at him, blushing. It wasn't often she transformed in front of a male (that was the nice thing about most of their opponents being women), and she was embarrassed.

  


Saffir had the grace to say nothing, and she was grateful. "I hate to do this to you, but we're going to have to go off of the balcony- I don't want anyone seeing Sailor Mercury wandering around my apartment building. Do you think you're well enough to manage if I help you?"

  


Saffir nodded. "I finished healing sometime while I slept. I shouldn't need your help- I can teleport down." His blue aura flashed around him, and he vanished. 

  


Mercury raced over to the balcony to see him leaning against the base of the building. Sighing, she jumped, falling rapidly to he ground. Saffir watched as she cursed slightly at the impact- even though she could do feats that were beyond mere mortal, it didn't mean she LIKED it. Her body was strong, but it still felt pain and discomfort. 

  


"Where are we meeting?" Saffir asked.

  


"In front of the Black Crystal," she said. "Then we're going to have to figure out a way to get into it."

  


Saffir looked hesitant, than nodded. "Just remember- I get to talk to my brother before you guys do anything rash."

  


Ami nodded. "Let's get going, then."

  
  


***

"Virgo is a modest and charming personality with a quiet, disarming beauty."

  


***

  


For once Usagi had little trouble rolling out of bed. From her window she could see the throbbing power of the Black Crystal, and she shuddered as she viewed it. The monstrosity seemed to be growing under her very eyes.

  


She stumbled downstairs to the kitchen where her mother was cooking pancakes. Tsukino Ikoku raised her slender eyebrows at the sight of her daughter. Usagi was wearing mismatched socks, and one of her odango was VERY crooked. Grabbing her school bag, she placed a kiss on Ikoku's cheek and started to race for the door. "No time for breakfast! Mako-chan said she'd bring me lunch! Ja ne!"

  


"Usagi!" Ikuko called, but it was too late. Looking at the cooking breakfast, she stifled a sigh. "It's actually sort of funny... I wonder what her reaction will be when she finds out there is no school? I just hope she has enough sense to keep away from that thing in the center of the city," she murmured, then laughed outright at the idea of her daughter having the courage to go near the pulsing growth that had suddenly appeared. 

  


Usagi was a chicken. And in Tokyo, that was a good thing.

  


Usagi raced through the streets, turning around a corner with her usual haste. She headed straight for the Black Crystal, hating every second of it. Cutting school was fun, but she had other things she would rather be doing with the time she was spending playing hooky. Like get a root canal.

  


Firmly she shook that cowardly thought from her mind, focusing on Chibi-Usa. She wanted the young girl back. 

  


Ducking into an alley, she transformed, then started to run. She was on time for a change, and was determined to get there early enough so that Rei wouldn't be able to make fun of her.

  


There were police scouting the street. One of them noticed her. "Oh, my god," he said. "They're real!"

  


Sailor Moon waved cheerfully before jumping over the fence that had been hastily erected to keep the curious at bay. Having enhanced abilities was a wonderful thing. 

  


She arrived in front of the Crystal just as Jupiter and Venus did. Venus held both of the Mooncats in a basket, which she set down carefully. "Mercury and Mars aren't here yet?" Moon asked, surprised.

  


"I'm here," a voice said, sounding winded from a long run. The red-skirted Senshi leaned over and braced her hands on her knees as she attempted to get her breath back. "Some idiot tried to tell me I couldn't come here!"

  


"They're merely doing their job, Mars," Jupiter said, amusement heavy in her voice.

  


"Aren't they smart enough to recognize a Senshi when they see one?" she snapped back. Then she blinked. "Where's Mercury and Saffir?"

  


"Not here yet," Jupiter said, and her voice was grim. "Mercury's usually the first one here, and..."

  


"It's not good," Mars agreed. "But..." her eyes looked at the Crystal, and she shivered. "I don't think he hurt her. He needs us to get to his brother. Once he sees Demando, that's when he'll turn..."

  


"When?" Venus echoed. "Did the Sacred Fire tell you something?"

  


"No," Mars admitted. "I just think that's what will happen." She took another deep breath before straightening her back, and the wind took her hair in its grip, fanning it around her slender body. "I don't trust him."

  


Sailor Moon looked at her other senshi. "We judge people on their own merits, and Saffir hasn't hurt anyone yet," she reminded them. "I think... we'll have to trust him for now. Besides, Mercury likes him. She's spent the most time with him, so maybe she knows something we don't?"

  


Venus and Jupiter turned bright red. "Um..."

  


"Sorry we're late," Mercury said, coming up beside them. Saffir walked beside her, dressed in a deep blue jacket that matched his hair and eyes. The two were a striking pair, but there was something in Saffir's eyes that was cold.

  


"How do we get in?" another voice said, and Moon turned to Tuxedo Mask with relief on her face. 

  


"That's up to Saffir," she said.

  


Mars muttered something about being too trusting, but the others looked at the Blue Prince.

  


"There's a fluctuation in the shield every 108 seconds. It lasts for a half second... you should be able to teleport through to the main hall, if you time it right. All levels are shielded individually, so other teleports will have to be made separately," he said with a bit of disinterest.

  


"We don't have enough power for multiple teleports," Mercury told Saffir. "What happens if we miss the timing?"

  


"Your magical energy will interact with the shields and it would be... messy."

  


The senshi exchanged glances. "We've never timed a teleport before," Venus said nervously.

  


"We should be able to make it," Jupiter said. "But... I don't like the idea much. Is there any other way in?" 

"Not unless you're invited in," Saffir said. "I built the defenses myself."

  


"And you didn't leave yourself a secret way in?" Mars asked incredulously.

  


"The fluctuation is my secret way. There's no one else who would be able to time all the jumps and know what levels to jump to when - it's a maze inside. It will take over an hour to sort through."

  


Tuxedo Kamen looked at the senshi. "If you teleport, I can't came with you."

  


Moon looked about ready to protest, but he put his arm on her shoulder. "It's okay. I'll wait here with Luna and Artemis. The others will protect you."

  


Their eyes met in silent communication, and she nodded, feeling her resolve well up.

  


"Let's do it," Moon said. "The sooner we get in, the sooner we get out. No offense, Saffir-san, but the place is really creepy."

  


Saffir shrugged. "Mercury, you'll want to teleport to the third floor, right into the center room. This fluctuation, scan it and you'll find where I mean. Next one, you can lead the teleport."

  


"But-" Mercury protested.

  


"It sounds like the best plan," Venus said. "If you know where we're going, you should focus us. I don't want to end up 'messy.'"

  


The others agreed, and Mercury sighed, getting out her computer. She set her computer to scan the Crystal, and sure enough, Saffir hadn't lied about the fluctuation.

  


"Got it," she said. 

  


"Let's do it," Moon said. Stepping back, she held her hands out, and Mercury quickly took it, with Mars on the other side. Venus and Jupiter moved to complete the circle, and they shut their eyes.

  


Around them, the ground started to glow as they prepared the energy needed to teleport. 

  


"SAILOR TELEPORT!" Mercury called.

  


Tuxedo Mask watched as the five Senshi disappeared in a spectacular light display. In their wake, Saffir's teleport was practically unnoticeable.

  


"Come back safe," he whispered, and then settled down for the hardest job of all - waiting.

  


UP NEXT: The Throne of Despair

  


-or-

  


The Tangled Threads of Fate


End file.
